I have yet to find someone who likes mosquitoes!  In fact, the vast majority of us probably see mosquitoes as pests!  Accordingly, our normal instinct is to kill a mosquito as soon as possible.  Sadly, I’m convinced that few of us have been adequately trained in the art and science of mosquito elimination.  Consequently, let’s consider some options for laying a mosquito (or any other pest) to rest.

             I’ve been told hand grenades are very effective at eradicating most living things.  Of course they are not readily available to the public at large.  One cannot help but wonder if that may be a result of their lack of precision, and their potential for killing or maiming the person attempting to use them.  I’m pretty sure an online video would not be appropriate training for using hand grenades, even if the disclaimer, “Kids, don’t try this at home” was prominently displayed.

Guns can be effective in dispatching pesky life forms.  Since they are readily available and generally affordable, there are many options from which to choose: handguns, rifles or shotguns.  Depending on the choice you make, the cost of the ammo may limit your options.  All of them are more than capable to nail the offending mosquito with one accurate shot.

Bows and arrows have been well known to be a trusty duo for killing.  Unfortunately, modern technologies have minimized their popularity and few people have easy access to them.  And since mosquitoes are generally small targets, accuracy developed through hours of practice would be essential to their effectiveness.

Knives have been used since ancient times to eliminate offending parties.  But not knowing the most vulnerable parts of a mosquito’s anatomy could make killing it more difficult, especially since it is so small.

Clubs (things we swing) have been used for taking care of undesirables for eons.  While the sizes and shapes of clubs has changed over the millennia, their relative availability and frequent effectiveness have often made them the solution of choice.

Bare hands have been known to kill as well.  Needless to say, they are always available (since they are firmly attached to our bodies) and inexpensive (most of us were blessed to have them come as standard equipment).

With all these options in mind, you may have noticed that I have failed to point out that we all too frequently discover mosquitoes on a person’s body, most often our own.  This complicating detail (not that “minor”) should not be minimized when choosing which method we plan to employ to terminate said mosquito.  Touché!  Killing a mosquito is not that simple after all!

This ridiculous scenario should help us keep from using an inappropriate solution to a given problem.  Pests come in all sizes, from mosquitoes to grizzly bears.  Accordingly, use a solution that is readily available, most often effective, least expensive, and that yields the least amount of collateral damage.  This principle is also very helpful for taking care of countless other problems, not just pests.

The following four principles, like their namesake, are huge! And to the surprise of many, elephants are far more common in your area than you may imagine! So this warning is for you, and it prods me to share a primary guideline.

First, do not ignore the elephant in the room—especially if it is in one of your rooms!

Beware! Elephants can show up anywhere! For instance, they are often found in family rooms. Case in point, someone in your family has a big problem, but everyone goes on acting as if the issue doesn’t exist. Since the elephant takes up so much space, everyone tries to work around it without disturbing it. And addressing the elephant directly may be painful, so you continue to allow it to cramp your space and limit your possibilities.

Of course elephants can be found in many other rooms as well: workplaces, churches, and boardrooms, to name a few. Elephants come in many varieties, but they have one distinguishing mark: they are very large and they essentially squeeze out any hope of growth and progress!

Second, eat elephants one bite at a time—no matter how big they are or how many bites it will take!

Since elephants are large by their very nature, many folks assume they cannot be eaten. However, if a journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step, then it must follow that eating an entire elephant begins with one bite. Just get started as soon as possible since you will be having one menu item for a long time!

Since elephants are rarely eaten, many people assume they won’t like the taste of elephant. Let me suggest they probably taste a lot like chicken, since it seems every unfamiliar meat known to man tastes like chicken. And since most everyone likes chicken, most everyone will probably like elephant! Just give it a try, chances are good you will like it!

Third, eat your elephant with as many other people as possible—invite all your friends and foes alike.

The more elephant eaters you have, the quicker the elephant is eaten! Do the math! Help others discover the advantages that will emerge once the elephant is eaten. Help them see that the sooner the elephant is gone, the sooner more productive projects can be undertaken.

Fourth, don’t ever let another elephant through the door—even a cute baby one.

Sadly, I’m fairly sure that even baby elephants will grow faster than you can eat them! Accordingly, you are far better off in the long run to slam the door in an approaching elephant’s face! Set up some elephant barriers as well. Ensure you never forget how tasking and time-consuming it is to acknowledge and eat an unwanted elephant!