The mice did not overanalyze things. To the mice, the problem and the answer were both simple. The situation at Cheese Station C had changed. So, Sniff and Scurry decided to change. They both looked out into the maze. Then Sniff lifted his nose, sniffed, and nodded to Scurry, who took off running through the maze, while Sniff followed as fast as he could.
They were quickly off in search of New Cheese. They had not been paying attention to the small changes that had been taking place each day, so they took it for granted their Cheese would be there. They were unprepared for what they found. No Cheese? He continued yelling, "No Cheese?
Finally, he put his hands on his hips, his face turned red, and he screamed at the top of his voice, "It's not fair! He, too, had counted on finding Cheese at Cheese Station C. He stood there for a long time, frozen with shock. He was just not ready for this. Hem was yelling something, but Haw didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to deal with what was facing him, so he just tuned everything out.
The littlepeople's behavior was not very attractive or productive but it was understandable. Finding Cheese wasn't easy, and it meant a great deal more to the littlepeople than just having enough of it to eat every day. Finding Cheese was the littlepeople's way of getting what they thought they needed to be happy. They had their own ideas of what Cheese meant to them, depending on their taste.
For some, finding Cheese was having material things. For others it was enjoying good health, or developing a spiritual sense of well-being. For Haw, Cheese just meant feeling safe, having a loving family someday, and living in a cozy cottage on Cheddar Lane. Because Cheese was important to them, the two littlepeople spent a long time trying to decide what to do. All they could think of was to keep looking around Cheeseless Station C to see if the Cheese was really gone.
They ranted and raved at the injustice of it all. Haw started to get depressed. What would happen if the Cheese wasn't there tomorrow? He had made future plans based on this Cheese.
The littlepeople couldn't believe it. How could this have happened? No one had warned them. It wasn't right. It was not the way things were supposed to be. Hem and Haw went home that night hungry and discouraged. The situation hadn't changed; the Cheese was no longer there. The littlepeople didn't know what to do. Hem and Haw just stood there, immobilized like two statues. Haw shut his eyes as tight as he could and put his hands over his ears.
He just wanted to block everything out. He didn't want to know the Cheese supply had gradually been getting smaller. He believed it had been moved all of a sudden. Hem analyzed the situation over and over and eventually his complicated brain with its huge belief system took hold. Do you think they know something we don't?
They just respond to what happens. We're littlepeople. We're smarter than mice. We should be able to figure this out. Things are changing around here, Hem. Maybe we need to change and do things differently. We're special. This sort of thing should not happen to us. They went farther into the maze, up and down corridors, looking for cheese in every Cheese Station they could find.
They didn't think of anything else but finding New Cheese. They didn't find any for sometime until they finally went into an area of the maze where they had never been before: Cheese Station N. They squealed with delight. They found what they had been looking for: a great supply of New Cheese. They could hardly believe their eyes. It was the biggest store of cheese the mice had ever seen. They were now suffering from the effects of having no Cheese. They were becoming frustrated and angry and were blaming each other for the situation they were in.
Now and then Haw thought about his mice friends, Sniff and Scurry, and wondered if they had found any cheese yet. He believed they might be having a hard time, as running through the maze usually involved some uncertainty. But he also knew that it was likely to only last for a while. He thought about how good it would be for him to be out on an adventure in the maze, and to find fresh New Cheese. He could almost taste it. The more clearly Haw saw the image of himself finding and enjoying the New Cheese, the more he saw himself leaving Cheese Station C.
It's comfortable. It's what I know. Besides it's dangerous out there. Are you? So every day, the littlepeople continued to do what they had done before.
They went to Cheese Station C, found no Cheese, and returned home, carrying their worries and frustrations with them. They tried to deny what was happening, but found it harder to get to sleep, had less energy the next day, and were becoming irritable.
Their homes were not the nurturing places they once were. The littlepeople had difficulty sleeping and were having nightmares about not finding any Cheese. Hem said, "You know, if we just work harder we'll find that nothing has really changed that much.
The Cheese is probably nearby. Maybe they just hid it behind the wall. Hem held the chisel while Haw banged on the hammer until they made a hole in the wall of Cheese Station C. They peered inside but found no Cheese.
They were disappointed but believed they could solve the problem. So they started earlier, stayed longer, and worked harder. But after a while, all they had was a large hole in the wall. Haw was beginning to realize the difference between activity and productivity.
Sooner or later they have to put the Cheese back. So each day he went home to rest and returned reluctantly with Hem to Cheese Station C. But Cheese never reappeared. By now the littlepeople were growing weak from hunger and stress. Haw was getting tired of just waiting for their situation to improve. He began to see that the longer they stayed in their Cheeseless situation, the worse off they would be. Haw knew they were losing their edge. Finally, one day Haw began laughing at himself. We keep doing the same things over and over again and wonder why things don't get better.
If this wasn't so ridiculous, it would be even funnier. But he had to laugh at his folly when he saw what his fear was doing to him. He asked Hem, "Where did we put our running shoes? As Hem saw his friend getting into his running gear, he said, "You're not really going out into the maze again, are you?
Why don't you just wait here with me until they put the Cheese back? It's time to find New Cheese. Or even if there is, what if you don't find it? He had asked himself those same questions too many times and felt the fears again that kept him where he was. He asked himself. He saw himself venturing out into the Maze with a smile on his face. While this picture surprised him, it made him feel good. He saw himself getting lost now and then in the Maze, but felt confident he would eventually find New Cheese out there and all the good things that came with it.
He gathered his courage. Then he used his imagination to paint the most believable picture he could-with the most realistic details-of him finding and enjoying the taste of New Cheese. He saw himself eating Swiss cheese with holes in it, bright orange Cheddar and American cheeses, Italian mozzarella and wonderfully soft French Camembert cheese, and. Then he heard Hem say something and realized they were still at Cheese Station C.
Haw said, "Sometimes, Hem, things change and they are never the same again. This looks like one of those times. That's life! Life moves on. And so should we. Haw didn't mean to be rude to his friend, but he had to laugh at how silly they both looked.
As Haw prepared to leave, he started to feel more alive, knowing that he was finally able to laugh at himself, let go and move on. Haw picked up a small, sharp rock and wrote a serious thought on the wall for Hem to think about. As was his custom, Haw even drew a picture of cheese around it, hoping it would help Hem to smile, lighten up, and go after the New Cheese. But Hem didn't want to see it. Then, Haw stuck his head out and peered anxiously into the maze.
He thought about how he'd gotten himself into this cheeseless situation. He had believed that there may not be any Cheese in the maze, or he may not find it. Such fearful beliefs were immobilizing and killing him. Haw smiled. He knew Hem was wondering, "Who moved my Cheese? He could feel himself being drawn back into familiar territory-even though he hadn't found Cheese there for some time.
Haw became more anxious and wondered if he really wanted to go out into the maze. He knew sometimes some fear can be good. When you are afraid things are going to get worse if you don't do something, it can prompt you into action. But it is not good when you are so afraid that it keeps you from doing anything. He looked to his right, to the part of the maze where he had never been, and felt the fear. Then, he took a deep breath, turned right into the maze, and jogged slowly, into the unknown.
As he tried to find his way, Haw worried, at first, that he might have waited too long in Cheese Station C. He hadn't had any Cheese for so long that he was now weak. It took him longer and it was more painful than usual to get through the maze.
He decided that if he ever got the chance again, he would get out of his comfort zone and adapt to change sooner. It would make things easier. Then, Haw smiled a weak smile as he thought, "Better late than never. He had hoped to find enough Cheese to take some back to Hem and encourage him to come out into the maze. But Haw didn't feel confident enough yet. He had to admit, he found it confusing in the maze.
Things seemed to have changed since the last time he was out here. Just when he thought he was getting ahead, he would get lost in the corridors. It seemed his progress was two steps forward and one step backward. It was a challenge, but he had to admit that being back in the maze, hunting for Cheese, wasn't nearly as bad as he feared it might be. As time went on he began to wonder if it was realistic for him to expect to find New Cheese.
He wondered if he had bitten off more than he could chew. Then he laughed, realizing that he had nothing to chew on at the moment. He was taking control, rather than simply letting things happen to him. Then he reminded himself, if Sniff and Scurry could move on, so could he!
Later, as Haw looked back on things, he realized that the Cheese at Cheese Station C had not just disappeared overnight, as he had once believed. The amount of Cheese that had been there toward the end had been getting smaller, and what was left had grown old. It didn't taste as good. Mold may even have begun to grow on the Old Cheese, although he hadn't noticed it. He had to admit however, that if he had wanted to, he probably could have seen what was coming.
But he didn't. Haw now realized that the change probably would not have taken him by surprise if he had been watching what was happening all along and if he had anticipated change. Maybe that's what Sniff and Scurry had been doing. He decided he would stay more alert from now on. He would expect change to happen and look for it. He would trust his basic instincts to sense when change was going to occur and be ready to adapt to it.
When he went inside, however, he was most disappointed to discover that the Cheese station was empty. He felt like giving up. Haw was losing his physical strength. He knew he was lost and was afraid he would not survive. He thought about turning around and heading back to Cheese Station C. At least, if he made it back, and Hem was still there, Haw wouldn't be alone.
Then he asked himself the same question again, "What would I do if I weren't afraid? Haw didn't know it, but he was running behind because he was still weighed down by fearful beliefs.
Haw wondered if Hem had moved on, or if he was still paralyzed by his own fears. Then, Haw remembered the times when he had felt his best in the maze. It was when he was moving along. Haw looked down the dark passageway and was aware of his fear. What lay ahead? Was it empty? Or worse, were there dangers lurking? He began to imagine all kinds of frightening things that could happen to him.
He was scaring himself to death. Then he laughed at himself. He realized his fears were making things worse. So he did what he would do if he wasn't afraid. He moved in a new direction. As he started running down the dark corridor he began to smile. Haw didn't realize it yet, but he was discovering what nourished his soul. He was letting go and trusting what lay ahead for him, even though he did not know exactly what it was.
To his surprise, Haw started to enjoy himself more and more. He stopped to write again on the wall: Haw realized he had been held captive by his own fear. Moving in a new direction had freed him. Now he felt the cool breeze that was blowing in this part of the maze and it was refreshing.
He took in some deep breaths and felt invigorated by the movement. Once he had gotten past his fear, it turned out to be more enjoyable than he once believed it could be. Haw hadn't felt this way for a long time. He had almost forgotten how much fun it was to go for it. To make things even better, Haw started to paint a picture in his mind again. He saw himself eating the many cheeses he liked, and he enjoyed what he saw. Then he imagined how much he would enjoy all their great tastes.
The more clearly he saw the image of himself enjoying New Cheese, the more real and believable it became. He could sense that he was going to find it. Haw kept thinking about what he could gain instead of what he was losing.
He wondered why he had always thought that a change would lead to something worse. Now he realized that change could lead to something better. Then he raced through the maze with greater strength and agility. Before long he spotted a Cheese Station and became excited as he noticed little pieces of New Cheese near the entrance. They were types of Cheeses he had never seen before, but they looked great. He tried them and found that they were delicious.
He ate most of the New Cheese bits that were available and put a few in his pocket to have later and perhaps share with Hem. He began to regain his strength. He entered the Cheese Station with great excitement. But, to his dismay, he found it was empty. Someone had already been there and had left only the few bits of New Cheese. He realized that if he had moved sooner, he would very likely have found a good deal of New Cheese here.
Haw decided to go back and see if Hem was ready to join him. He offered Hem bits of New Cheese, but was turned down. Hem appreciated his friend's gesture but said, "I don't think I would like New Cheese. It's not what I'm used to. I want my own Cheese back and I'm not going to change until I get what I want. As he returned to the farthest point he had reached in the maze, he missed his friend, but realized he liked what he was discovering. Even before he found what he hoped would be a great supply of New Cheese, if ever, he knew that what made him happy wasn't just having Cheese.
He was happy when he wasn't being run by his fear. He liked what he was doing now. Just realizing he was not letting his fear stop him and knowing that he had taken a new direction nourished him and gave him strength. Now he felt that it was just a question of time before he found what he needed. In fact, he sensed he had already found what he was looking for. The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exists.
He'd been so afraid of never finding New Cheese that he didn't even want to start looking. But since starting his journey he had found enough Cheese in the corridors to keep him going.
Now he looked forward to finding more. Just looking ahead was becoming exciting. His old thinking had been clouded by his worries and fears. He used to think about not having enough Cheese, or not having it last as long as he wanted. He used to think more about what could go wrong than what could go right.
But that had changed in the days since he had left Cheese Station C. Now he realized it was natural for change to continually occur, whether you expect it or not. Change could surprise you only if you didn't expect it and weren't looking for it.
When he realized he had changed his beliefs, he paused to write on the wall: Old Beliefs Do Not Lead You To New Cheese Haw hadn't found Cheese yet, but as he ran through the Maze, he thought about what he had already learned.
Haw now realized that his new beliefs were encouraging new behaviors. He was behaving differently than when he kept returning to the same cheeseless station. He knew when you change what you believe, you change what you do. You can believe that a change will harm you and resist it. Or you can believe that finding New Cheese will help you, and embrace the change.
It all depends on what you choose to believe. Haw knew he would be in better shape now if he had dealt with the change much sooner and left Cheese Station C earlier.
He would feel stronger in body and spirit and he could have coped better with the challenge of finding New Cheese. In fact, he probably would have found it by now if he had expected change, rather than wasting time denying that the change had already taken place.
He used his imagination again and saw himself finding and savoring New Cheese. He decided to proceed into the more unknown parts of the Maze, and found little bits of Cheese here and there. Haw began to regain his strength and confidence. As he thought back on where he had come from, Haw was glad he had written on the wall in many places.
Haw just hoped he was heading in the right direction. By now, Haw had let go of the past and was adapting to the present. He continued on through the maze with greater strength and speed. And before long, it happened. When it seemed like he had been in the maze forever, his journey-or at least this part of his journey-ended quickly and happily.
Haw proceeded along a corridor that was new to him, rounded a corner, and found New Cheese at Cheese Station N! When he went inside, he was startled by what he saw. Piled high everywhere was the greatest supply of Cheese he had ever seen. He didn't recognize all that he saw, as some kinds of Cheese were new to him. Then he wondered for a moment whether it was real or just his imagination, until he saw his old friends Sniff and Scurry. Sniff welcomed Haw with a nod of his head, and Scurry waved his paw.
Their fat little bellies showed that they had been here for some time. Haw quickly said his hellos and soon took bites of every one of his favorite Cheeses. He pulled off his shoes, tied the laces together, and hung them around his neck in case he needed them again. Sniff and Scurry laughed. They nodded their heads in admiration. Then Haw jumped into the New Cheese.
When he had eaten his fill, he lifted a piece of fresh Cheese and made a toast. He realized that when he had been afraid to change he had been holding on to the illusion of Old Cheese that was no longer there.
So what was it that made him change? Was it the fear of starving to death? Haw smiled as he thought it certainly helped. Then he laughed and realized that he had started to change as soon as he had learned to laugh at himself and at what he had been doing wrong. He knew he had learned something useful about moving on from his mice friends, Sniff and Scurry. They kept life simple. They didn't overanalyze or overcomplicate things. Explore Audiobooks. Bestsellers Editors' Picks All audiobooks.
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