By Spencer Johnson, M.D.

A maze with labyrinths of corridors and chambers, some containing delicious cheese. But there also dark corners and blind alleys leading nowhere. An easy place for anybody to get lost.

Sniff has the ability to sniff out change early.

Scurry is the one of the two mice who always scurries into action wherever it may be.

Hem is a little person who denies and resists change as he fears it will lead to something worse.

Haw is a little person like Hem, who learns to adapt in time when he sees changing can lead to something better.

Once, long ago in a land far away, there live two mice named Sniff and Scurry and two little people named Hem and Haw. In the morning they would all put on their jogging suits and running shoes and race out into the maze to begin their search for this nourishing cheese each and every day.

One day at the end of the corridors in Cheese Station C Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw found their own kind of cheese that they liked. Every morning after that they dressed in their running gear and headed over to Cheese Station C. After a while Hem and Haw began to get very comfortable being in Cheese Station C that they referred to the plentiful and nourishing cheese as “their cheese”.

To make themselves feel even more at home Hem and Haw decorated the walls with sayings. One read:

“Having cheese makes you happy”

As time went on, Sniff and Scurry continued their routine. They arrived early each morning at Cheese Station C and would inspect the area to see if there had been any changes from the day before. Then they would sit down and enjoy their cheese.

One day, Hem and Haw arrived at Cheese Station C. They expected to find their cheese there since it has been there every day since they have found it.

But little did they know that the cheese had been decreasing in amount since they had been eating it. They took the cheese at Cheese Station C for granted. Hem was yelling, “No cheese? No cheese?” as though if he shouted loud enough someone would over hear and put the cheese back.

Hem and Haw went home that night discouraged and very hungry. But before they left Cheese Station C, Haw wrote on the wall:

“ The more important your cheese is to you

The more you want to hold on to it ”

While Hem and Haw were still deciding what to do about the situation, Sniff and Scurry were already on their way through the maze in search of new cheese. They were very determined and were only thinking of new nourishing cheese that they hoped to find.

Hem and Haw are getting tired and hungry and stressed now. Haw, after sitting for a long time finally gets up and puts on his running shoes. He realizes that when things change, its part of life and you have to keep moving on. Haw knew that he was now able to laugh at himself because of his situation at Cheese Station C and felt more alive and inspired. He followed his inspiration which led him to write a thought of his on the wall that was for Hem to read.

Haw wrote:

“ If you don’t change,

You can become extinct ”

Haw looked out into the maze. He became anxious and wondered if he really wanted to venture out into the maze. He wrote a saying on the wall:

“ What would you do If you weren’t afraid “

After staring at the saying that he wrote on the wall for a while he finally ventured out into the maze. He decided that if in the future he ever got the chance again, he would get out of his comfort zone and adapt to change sooner.

As Haw reflected on his thoughts about what happened at Cheese Station C he realized that the cheese had not just disappeared overnight, Like he once believed.

After reflecting for a while Haw came to a decision that he would try to be more alert about things and that when he sensed change was going to occur he could trust himself to react on his basic instincts.

Haw stopped for a quick rest and wrote on the wall:

“ Smell the cheese often so you know when its getting

old. “

After Haw came across what looked like a huge cheese station he went inside and that was not the case. He was obviously disappointed to discover that in this huge station there was no sight of any cheese.

Haw came close to giving up and just returning to Hem at Cheese Station C. Before he turned around to head back he thought about the times where he was content. Which was when he was moving on.

Haw wrote on the wall a reminder for him and for Hem as well. Hoping that Hem will follow.

“Movement in a new direction helps you find new cheese”

As Haw looked down the dark passageway he became aware of his fear. He asked himself. What lay ahead? Was it empty? Or worse, were there any dangers along his path?

He began to run down the corridor with a smile on his face. He didn’t know it but he was finally letting go and trusting what lay ahead for him.

He began to feel content and didn’t know why. He was just running without a certain destination and he didn’t even have any cheese.

Before long he knew why he felt good. He stopped to write on the wall:

“When you stop being afraid you

feel good”

Haw was now enjoying his stroll through the maze because he knew that since he was moving forward he was now free and no longer fearful. Haw began to paint a picture in his mind of him sitting in the middle of a pile of all his favorite cheeses. Haw could sense that he was going to find the cheese. He was determined.

Haw wrote on the wall:

“Imagining yourself enjoying your new

cheese leads you to it.”

Haw ran through the maze like he never ran through it before. After a while he spotted a Cheese Station that had some small bits of new cheese just outside.

He had never seen the cheese before and he tried it. He thought it was delicious and when he entered the Cheese Station he was disappointed to find that there was no cheese. He saved some bits of the cheese he had found and decided to return to Hem to see if he was ready to join him.

As he was on his way back he wrote on the wall:

“ The quicker you let go of old cheese the sooner you find

new cheese. “

Finally Haw made it back to Cheese Station C and found Hem. Haw offered Hem some of the new cheese he had found but Hem refused. He was acting stubborn and only wanted his own cheese the one that he liked and that he was used to.

Haw just left Hem there and went off into the maze again. Since Haw now knew that fear was not a factor in this situation any longer he was content again. Even without cheese. He had strength again.

Haw now knew that it was just a matter of time before he found what he needed.

He smiled as he realized:

“ It is safer to search in the maze than

remain in a cheese less situation”

Haw realized again that the fear is all in your mind. He had been so scared of never finding new cheese that he didn’t even bother looking. But on his journey he found a substantial amount of cheese that was enough to keep him going.

Haw now realized that it was natural for change to occur, weather you expect it or not.

When Haw realized that he had changed his beliefs, he wrote on the wall:

“ Old beliefs do not lead you to new

cheese. “

It finally kicked in to Haw that when you change what you believe, you change what you do. He was encouraged by his new beliefs. You can either believe that a change will harm you and resist it, or you can believe that finding New Cheese will help you and embrace change. Its your choice.

Haw wrote on the wall:

“ When you see that you can find and

enjoy new cheese, you change course. “

Haw used his imagination again and he saw himself enjoying New Cheese. He found little bits of cheese here and there but nothing big. Haw was regaining his strength and confidence.

As he thought back on where he had come from he felt good about his writings on the wall because it could help Hem a great deal if he ever decides to change.

Hem wrote on the wall what he had been thinking about for some time:

“ Noticing small changes helps you adapt to the

bigger changes that are to come”

Haw had let go of the past and was finally adapting to the present. After he ran through the maze with the most strength and speed ever demonstrated.

Haw finally came across the biggest supply of cheese he had ever seen. He knew it was not a dream or an imagination because he saw Sniff and Scurry nibbling away at the cheese.

Haw began to dig in to the cheese and reflected on his journey. He learned that you shouldn’t let your fear take over and to let go quickly by laughing at yourself. Sometimes its ok to laugh at your own mistakes as long as you learn from them and keep moving on.

Haw realized that Sniff and Scurry were smart and knowledgeable because they knew when to move on and when change was coming.

Haw was about to and tell Hem about the New Cheese but then he remembered how Hem reacted before when he brought Him some cheese. Hem refused Haws gesture and refused to change. Haw knew that if Hem wanted New Cheese he was going to have to change and move with the cheese just like Sniff and Scurry and Haw.

“Haw said a little prayer and hoped-as he had many times before-that maybe, at last, his friend was finally able to…”

“Move with the cheese and enjoy

it! ”