Beech Tree News Network

Sometimes, when I see a picture of me, I’m surprised by my size.  “I’m so little,” I say to Garey.

               “You are a small person,” Garey says.

               “I don’t feel small,” I say.

               I am 5 feet even, and I weigh 125 pounds.  I think a lot of small people feel bigger than they actually are.  I think this happens with dogs, as well.  My friend, Landon, used to say that their Boston Terrier had the worst case of Little Man Syndrome he had ever seen.  Joe would bypass small sticks in their yard in favor of tree limbs, which he could barely carry without tipping forward.

               I think small people feel bigger because we’ve had to go out of our way to reach things and see things.  Remember Zaccheus of biblical fame?  He climbed a tree to see Jesus, “for he was small in stature.”  Small people drag around step stools and ladders on a daily basis.  We are not “Those grapes were probably sour anyway” people.

               According to which medical health site you believe, there are advantages and disadvantages to being short.  There are a lot of conflicting messages. 

Webmd.com states that people who are shorter than 5feet 3inches are about 50% more likely to get coronary heart disease than those who are 5feet 8inches or taller.  The reasons for this assume that short people are short because they had poor nutrition or infections before birth.

               Verywellhealth.com says, “On average, shorter people may live an average of two to five years longer than tall people.  12 researchers attribute this to several factors, including lower disease risk and body size composition.”  The same site also says taller people are less likely to have a stroke, especially if maintaining a healthy body weight.

               Webmd.com has published a study of more than 100,000 European and North American women that showed that “shorter women are less likely to get ovarian cancer.”  Another study based on more than 6,000 adults showed that the length of your legs is linked to your chances of getting Type 2 Diabetes.  Scientists think “tall people may be less likely to get it.” 

               A few of the other anomalies listed on these sites are that the shorter you are, the less likely you are to have a blood clot in a vein; taller men and women tend to have lower odds of getting Alzheimer’s; shorter people tend to live a little longer than taller people and have fewer long-term diseases as they age; and shorter people are less likely to have a heat stroke.  Confusing enough for you?

               Once in a while I run across reasons to appreciate being a small person.  I can fit in small spaces, like passageways at Mammoth Cave.  I can fit on just about anyone’s couch if I have to spend the night with someone who doesn’t have an extra bed.  I don’t bump my head on low-hanging light fixtures or ceiling fans. And the most important one, dogs trust me, because they aren’t intimidated by my size.  Actually, I need to add an exception to that last one.  Greg Hampton’s dog, Hobbs, does not like me or trust me, but between you and me, I believe he has Little Man Syndrome.

               I’ve learned to live with being small here on earth, but I’ve told my children when they arrive in Heaven to look for a tall woman with straight hair.  God loves me and wants me to be happy.