PEBBLE
Stability is how love survives collapse. You do not run every time the world shakes. You commit. You tend. You remain.
~Rev. Cameron Trimble, shared by Kelsey in Fond du Lac, WI
BOULDER
You must come to terms with the fact that as a human being you are infinitely powerful, and take responsibility for this tremendous power. Even our smallest actions have potential for great change, positively or negatively, and the way in which we all conduct ourselves within the world means something…You have an obligation to stand up and take responsibility for that potential. It is your most ordinary and urgent duty.
~Nick Cave, shared in James Clear’s 3-2-1 via Nick’s The Red Hand Files
PONDER
One of the fun challenges of assembling these weekly splashes over the past 27 years is curating wisdom from a wide variety of sources. Most of the quotes come from you (thank you!), and I sprinkle in a few I stumble across along the way.
When I find a Ripple-worthy quote in another newsletter, I like to credit both the original source and the place I discovered it. I’ll also usually let it sit for a while, just in case someone subscribes to both and can enjoy it as a welcome reminder instead of a tired re-run.
But every now and then, things get…complicated. Like when one of my favorite newsletters quotes another of my favorite newsletters.
My first instinct was to avoid it. Too much recycling. So I tossed this one into my “maybe, but probably not” pile, where it kept whispering, “but I’m really, really good.”
And, well…here we are.
Today I’m feeling a little spunky. I’m also remembering that recycling, when done thoughtfully, can be a very good thing. So thank you to James Clear and his awesome 3-2-1 newsletter for quoting Nick Cave from his consistently delicious The Red Hand Files. And thank you for rolling with this slightly layered handoff of wisdom.
Because in the end, the origin story of a quote matters a little. But what matters more is what we do with it. If even one small thought, choice, or action shifts because of this email…well, that’s the real ripple. And This Tremendous Power is the one we’ve been entrusted with.
Peace,
Paul
P.S. As we observe Memorial Day, I’m holding gratitude for those whose service and sacrifice continue to ripple outward in ways we may never fully see.