The story introduces four comical characters. There were two mice named “Sniff” and “Scurry” and two littlepeople named “Hem” and “Haw”. All four of them spent their time in the maze trying to find their cheese. The mice with their little brains just sniffed and scurried through the maze looking for cheese while the littlepeople with their more complex brains were always analyzing and learning from their past experiences while looking for their cheese.
They all found their way to Cheese Station C where there appeared to be enough cheese there to last them forever. They were so happy with the cheese that they developed a habit of decorating the walls with happy phrases that described their feelings. As time went on however, the supply of cheese diminished and one day there was no cheese. The mice knew instinctively that since their supply of cheese had disappeared they had to move on, sniff and scurry through the maze and find a new supply of cheese. When the littlepeople realized that there was no cheese at Cheese Station C they began loosing their tempers. They spent a long time trying to decide what to do. They kept looking around Cheese Station C looking for their cheese actually believing that someone “moved” their cheese.
The little people continued to analyze the situation as to who could have possibly moved their cheese, while the mice were well on their way to their new discovery: Cheese Station N where they eventually found New Cheese. Haw finally began laughing at himself when he realized that he kept doing the same things over and over again wondering why things didn’t get better. Haw put his running gear on and decided to leave Cheese Station C and move on. He went into the maze, a little nervous at first, but continued his habit of writing his cheerful phrases on the walls as he went along.
Sometimes he wondered if he had made the wrong decision of leaving his friend Hem alone and venture into the dark corridors of the maze, but very quickly realized that he was only getting afraid and that he needn’t be. Haw found enough cheese here and there in the corridors to get by. He even brought some over to his friend Hem once only to be rejected.
One day Haw’s journey ended when he found Cheese Station N where he also met Sniff and Scurry. Haw ate to his heart’s content regaining his lost strength. At the end of the story Haw hears Hem down the corridor of Cheese Station N who was finally able to “move with the cheese and enjoy it.”
After Michael finished his story they all decided that they wanted to discuss it before dinner. They all talked about which character in the story they felt that they were. Most of them felt that they were like Hem because they were afraid of change and did not want to accept it. They all also talked about the changes going on in their lives in regards to business and personal relationships. Then they talked about how they could use this story to help themselves and others they were involved with to accept change better.
