PEBBLE
The most important thing to remember is that, miracle of miracles, we’re still here. We still have time to turn things around, no matter how late the hour.
-Daniel Zimmer, shared by Abbey in Rice Lake, WI (who found it here)
BOULDER
Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so. If you assume there is no hope, you guarantee there will be no hope.
-Noam Chomsky, shared by Pidge in Pacifica, CA
PONDER
In last week’s Ripples about Recharging, I revealed that I was headed offline for a few weeks and had queued up several issues in advance of my retreat time. Well, I’m “pausing my pause” long enough to pivot from the issue I had previously queued up for this week so I can address recent events and maybe offer a little hope. I’m also posting it a little early just in case people need a more immediate boost.
Regardless of how much you follow politics, or which way you lean on issues, I think it is safe to say that most of us are having lots of thoughts and lots of feels about how all of this is unfolding. On top of that, there is a huge amount of uncertainty about where things will go from here.
I don’t yet know how we get through it, but I do know that assuming a hopeful stance is more useful than despair. And I’m trying to keep in mind that we’ve collectively managed to survive lots of previous hard times, usually with a mix of three key ingredients:
- Coming together and remembering that we don’t need to face the tough stuff alone.
- Seeing and accepting things as they are and not how we wish them to be; and
- Doing our part; taking action to make things better than they were when we arrived.
Remember what we came up with at the start of the pandemic? I believed it in March of 2020, and I believe it today: WE GOT THIS if we can come together with Curious Minds, Open Hearts, and Calm Spirits while we Nurture Health. In this case, I think that last part includes taking care of ourselves and also reaching out to others to help nurture them as well.
May we be healthy;
may we be safe;
may we be wise;
may we be at…..
Peace,
Paul
P.S. I hope that each time you read over one of these weekly Ripples emails, you feel a little more connected to me and the vast network of Ripplers who also believe in the ongoing and huge impact of even our tiniest actions. I feel a little better having written this. I hope you feel at least a little better having read it.
