PEBBLE
As we navigate this strange and anxious world, choosing joy becomes more than a personal act of resilience-it becomes a radical gesture of hope.
~Zachary Kai, shared by Jane in Kenosha, WI
BOULDER
But where was I to start? The world is so vast, I shall start with the country I know best, my own. But my country is so very large. I had better start with my town. But my town too, is large. I had best start with my street. No: my home. No: my family. Never mind, I shall start with myself.
~Elie Wiesel, shared by Bob in Arizona
PONDER
In a world that often feels overwhelming, it’s easy to wonder where to begin. Today’s Pebble reminds us that when the world feels too vast, the most powerful place to start is right where we are—with ourselves. And as the Boulder suggests, choosing joy or kindness isn’t just a personal act—it can ripple outward as a radical gesture of hope.
A few years ago, I was in a mall in Spokane, WA, when I spied not one but two people wearing “Dear Person Behind Me” hoodies. If you’re not familiar, they were created to spread encouragement with an upbeat message of hope printed on the back. I’ve been daydreaming ever since about creating something similar to help spread our UROCK mission (Unleashing Ripples of Compassion & Kindness).
I’m thrilled to share that—with support from the Team Ripples Patreon Community—we’re finally ready to make this happen! We’re planning a limited run of tee-shirts and hoodies that have an upbeat message on the back: Hey u, uBelong, uMatter, uROCK. Everyone you pass can get a tiny boost of belonging and encouragement!
If you’re interested in joining this bold, radical experiment in hope-sharing, you’ll need to order your tee or hoodie this week so we know how many to print. We’ll pick a few coordinated days this fall to wear them together. Are you in?
Peace,
Paul
P.S. Please be patient with our pokey online store…it may experience more traffic than it’s used to!