Of big planes and little things

Charles Vernon Boys wanted to build a better scale.  To do that he needed to build a better balance arm.   Boys’ work for a better scale has been overshadowed by his other invention.  Boys believed that glass would make a better balance arm that metals.  Since glass is stronger than steel of the same size, a very fine rod of glass might be the balance arm Boys was looking for.  He developed the tool to make this ultra thin rod.  He created a special crossbow that would fire a glass rod, on end of which was moltan.  The result was a thread of glass.  On one occasion he was able to produce a thread 90 feet long.

Fast forward about 100 years and the Airbus A380 takes to the sky thanks in part to Boys’ discovery.  Rather than a typical aluminum hull, the largest passenger aircraft in the world has a hull composed, in part, of the material Boys discovered and developed.  You used it last night and this past summer and, without knowing it, for most of your life.  But we don’t call it glass rods or glass threads, we know it as fiberglass.  

It is a long way from a single thread of glass to the world wide 12.9 billion pounds produced In 2021.  But that is the point; it had to start somewhere.  There are big results from tiny or what seems to be inconsequential actions.  WE often think we have to do big things and great things and very noticeable things if we are going to make any impact.  That may be more a product of propaganda than of the historic record.  A great many world-shaking discoveries and accomplishments did not begin as a big deal.  

What I am suggesting is that we all should go and do little things, lots of little things.  Do them with grace, love and kindness because you never know what the result might be.  WE have been told to plan and act strategically.  We are to make a point of maximizing our impact through leveraged relationships and opportunities.  I once believed that, but I am having my doubts.  What I do not doubt is that caring relationships are built with small moments, things, words, and deeds.  And it is relationships that really make the greatest impact.