Ripples v8.23: Ripples of FRIENDPRINTS!
6/5/06: a FREE splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
PEBBLE
Life without friendship is like the sky without sun.
-source unknown, submitted by Noel R., Milwaukee WI
BOULDER
It well may be that we will never meet again in this lifetime,
so let me say before we part:
So much of me is made of what I learned from you.
You’ll be with me like a handprint on my heart,
and now whatever way our stories end,
I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend.
-from the Broadway musical “Wicked”, submitted by Samantha T., Green Bay WI
PONDER
I enjoy being able to tell all of you about my fun adventures in life and I appreciate that I can also share the challenges.
Well, last week was completely blechy. And let me be clear: by blechy I mean painful, scary, exhausting, draining, awful. I will spare you the gory details; instead I want to describe how magnificent it was to have a set of friends who provided such warm support. Several of my friends changed their schedules to spend time with me, and others who lived far away lent support with phone calls and good energy. A few people I connected briefly with didn’t even know I was facing a difficult time; the serendipity of our paths crossing was powerful just the same.
With all of that powerful assistance, I had the courage to face these challenges and I am so happy to report that I already feel more like my old self again. I am composing this week’s issue on a Sunday afternoon sitting on my deck beneath a sky that most definitely includes a beautiful, bright sun. I am deeply grateful that my friends left many FRIENDPRINTS on my healing heart just when they were needed most.
Please take a quick moment this week to either thank a friend of yours for their FRIENDPRINTS, or take action to leave some on a friend in need. Whichever you do, I’m guessing it will bring you a bit more….
…Peace,
Paul