April 15, 2012

Just last week, someone quipped in jest that no one bothers to look at people who are short. Ahem! Normally, quite easygoing about my tininess, this twine really got my goat.
 
I mean, come on; if I can’t be seen, atleast I should be heard!!
 
We hear the oft repeated phrase “Good things come in small packages”. Being of the miniature variety, I find myself using this phrase too.
 
Ever wondered about its origin? It actually has its foundation in Italy and is derived from "Nelle botti piccine ci sta il vino buono" Translation: In the small barrels you find the good wine. There is something about good wine and I like being associated with it. Yeah.
 
In today’s society there are many who believe that being tall allows a person to be more respected and prone to better advantages. To a certain extent, it’s about ‘Visibility’ I guess. However, there are actually quite a few good things about being small; being called bottle cap or pocket umbrellas notwithstanding. For instance, short stature enables one to squeeze through large crowds, get into places at kids prices (half ticket!), and have less headaches due to the fact of not bumping ones head on everything (J). All jokes aside, being short is not the crutch everyone makes it out to be, but rather a blessing. Those small legs stretch comfortably at the back of a car, or on a long bus journey; where the never-ending legs feel cramped.
 
Though our legs may end before they start, the benefits don’t end there. I have news for you. There are physical and medical advantages too. Shorter people have faster reaction times, and it’s not because of the negligible distance from the body to the brain. We smallies have greater endurance and greater ability to accelerate body movements. This brings to mind the little greats: aka Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar. As for the medical advantages, shorter people are less likely to require surgery for herniated spinal disks, have lower cardiovascular disease, and have a fewer chances of contracting cancer. This does not mean short people are immune to death, but only proves that their chances of living longer are greater.
 
A lot of people think that to rule you must be tall. However, there are examples to the contrary like Heads of State, Nicolas Sarkozy (French) or Silvio Berlusconi (Italian) who, even when wearing lifts, needs to stand on tiptoe when posing for photographs. It is said that it isn’t the height, it’s the impact that counts: So a lesser height might not be such a bad thing in the end!
 
What’s more, nanotechnology is fast becoming the order of the day. Small cars are easier to maneuver on traffic congested roads. In the mobile industry, the denominations for prepaid top-up vouchers are getting smaller. Consumers seem to prefer shrink packs while marketers like to foray into new markets with mini or sample packs.
 
The height of a person is not necessarily one of their “short comings”. The quote, “Attitude determines altitude,” is a positive way of looking at being diminutive. When looked at from this perspective, being short can truly be a blessing. Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”
 
Besides, it is said that higher the heels, closer to heaven! Touché!