PEBBLE
Perhaps the butterfly is proof that you can go through a great deal of darkness yet still become something beautiful.
-Beau Taplin, shared by Thomas on Sanibel Island, FL
BOULDER
The caterpillar grows wings during a season of isolation. Remember that the next time you are alone.
-Mandy Hale, shared by Jen in Wisconsin, via Team Ripples FB Group:
BOULDER
A few weeks ago in Ripples #1144 we explored the theme of Internal Struggles and I mentioned Adam Grant’s New York Times article on languishing.
Several people responded with positive feedback about the article, and some other people liked what he was getting at but didn’t think the word “languishing” nailed it. One of my colleague-friends, Amy Ackermann, found it more useful to think of it as being in conservation mode, a space where you can “stay checked in while powering down.” My neighbor & pal Abby echoed this sentiment when she commented that she felt like she was in a “reserving strength” phase.
A few days later I stumbled upon a blog post by Austin Kleon, a creative whose work I respect a great deal. He was also pushing back against the word LANGUISHING and makes a case for thinking about what many of us are experiencing as DORMANCY. If you’re too busy to read it, this sentence sums up his thesis pretty well, “I’m not languishing because I’m not trying to flourish.” He presents a hypothesis that for him and perhaps others, it is more useful and more accurate to describe the current state as one of latency rather than as one of struggling. I don’t think any of this detracts from the Adam Grant article; instead, it provides more options as we try to sort out our many thoughts and feelings while making our way through these strange times.
Whatever you are experiencing right now, whether its languishing, dormancy, a little of each, or maybe something else altogether…embrace this opportunity to take a few deep breaths (here now, here now, here now!), notice that you made it to today, and reserve some strength for whatever’s next. And remember this, my ripply friend: you’re an integral part of our community of weary-and-also-resilient souls who are committed to unleashing ripples of compassion and kindness. We are still here and WE STILL GOT THIS! 💙
Peace,
Paul
