Leader's Minute Library

A lion was sleeping when a mouse ran over his paw. The lion woke up and grabbed the mouse, ready to eat him. 'Please,' begged the mouse, 'let me go, and someday I will repay you.' The lion laughed at the idea that a tiny mouse could help a lion, but he let him go. Later, hunters caught the lion in a net. He roared for help. The mouse heard him, ran to the net, and chewed through the ropes, setting the lion free. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. And no Scout is too small to be helpful. Even the youngest Tenderfoot can help the oldest Eagle Scout.

A thumbs-up emoji is easy. Saying 'I appreciate what you did' means more. Don't let shortcuts replace genuine communication. Use your words to build people up.

How heavy is half a glass of water? 8 ounces? It depends on how long you hold it. A minute is easy. An hour, your arm aches. A day, your arm is paralyzed. Stress and worry are like that glass. It's okay to have them for a moment. But if you hold onto them all day, they will paralyze you. You have to put the glass down. Talk to a friend, take a walk, sleep. A Scout keeps themselves mentally awake—that means knowing when to rest.

Most of the time we stay on the trail. But sometimes, to get to a special place, you have to bushwhack. You have to make your own path through the thorns. Leadership is bushwhacking. It's going where there is no path yet. It's harder. You get scratched. But you pave the way for others. Don't be afraid to leave the trail when duty calls.

You find a dollar on the floor. It's small, insignificant. Do you pocket it instantly, or do you look around to see if someone dropped it? Honesty isn't about the amount; it's about the instinct. Keep your instincts honest.

A standard domino can knock over another domino 1.5 times its size. If you chain that up, the 13th domino is the size of a building. Your small actions have momentum. One small act of kindness starts a chain reaction that can knock over giant obstacles. Start the chain. Push the first domino.