An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure

I remember coming across this funny little poem that owes its origin to Benjamin Franklin when I was young.

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost,
For want of a shoe, the horse was lost,
For want of a horse, the rider was lost,
For want of a rider, the battle was lost,
For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost,
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Benjamin Franklin mentioned this old proverb in an edition of Poor Richard’s Almanac published in 1758 to illustrate to colonists how small things can lead to bigger problems. He titled his message “A Little Neglect May Breed Great Mischief.” Ignoring seemingly small things in the present may lead to great heartache in the future.

I think we can all relate to this. Take care of the minor problems before they become big problems. So it’s perhaps not surprising that Benjamin Franklin is also famous for saying that “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”