Little By Little

A boy watched a large building, as the workmen from day to day carried up the brick and mortar.

“My son,” said his father, “you seem taken with the bricklayers. Do you think of learning the trade?”

“No, sir. I was thinking what a little thing a brick is, and what great houses are built by laying one brick upon another.”

“Very true, my son; never forget that. So it is in all great works. All your learning is one lesson added to another. If a man could walk all round the world, it would be by putting one foot before another. Your whole life will be made up of one moment upon another. Drops added to drops make the ocean.”

“Learn from this not to despise little things. Be not discouraged by great labors; they become easy if divided into parts. You could not jump over a mountain, but step by step takes you to the other side. Do not fear, therefore, to attempt great things. Always remember that the large building went up only one brick upon another.”