PEBBLE
Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they are finished.
~Daniel Gilbert, as quoted by David Brooks in How to Know a Person
BOULDER
The value of doing something does not lie in the ease or difficulty, the probability or improbability of its achievement, but in the vision, the plan, the determination and perseverance, the effort and the struggle which go into the project. Life is enriched by aspiration and effort, rather than by acquisition and accumulation.
-Helen Nearing, shared by Sara in Madison, WI via The Good Life: Helen and Scott Nearing’s Sixty Years of Self-Sufficient Living
PONDER
I realized a few weeks ago that Ripples was quickly approaching yet another milestone….this issue marks the 1,300th Monday morning we’ve unleashed a couple quotes and something to ponder for the week. Like other big milestones, I’ve been torn about how and whether to acknowledge it.
On the one hand, this is a big number so it seems like its worth making a big deal out of it. On the other hand, the whole purpose of these little splashes of inspiration is to remind us of the ongoing impact of our smaller actions. Aren’t we supposed to focus on making a small deal out of small numbers?
Sitting with today’s quotes, I’m remembering that the big deals and the small deals are all part of our Ripply “work in progress.” It’s a fabulously big deal that we’ve been sending these out for over 25 years, and that 25,000 Ripplers pause for 60 seconds each Monday (or Tuesday) to take a peek at what we’ve assembled here. And it’s a lovely small deal in that it only takes a minute to read these and decide what action you might want to take as a result.
I’m grateful that you’re part of this work in progress, and I’m honored to be part of YOUR work in progress. May we all keep on going and keep on growing….and may we keep each other company for a little while longer at least. Are you in?
Peace,
Paul
