Ripples v8.39: Ripples of RESPONSIBILITY!
9/25/06: a FREE splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
PEBBLE
Feel gratitude that you have made it to this point
and take responsibility for what comes next.
-Dr. Sonya Friedman, submitted by Pat J., Waukesha WI
BOULDER
I am responsible.
Although I may not be able
to prevent the worst from happening,
I am responsible for my attitude
toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life.
Bad things do happen;
how I respond to them
defines my character
and the quality of my life.
I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness,
immobilized by the gravity of my loss,
or I can choose to rise from the pain
and treasure the most precious gift I have:
life itself.
-Walter Anderson, submitted by Debra E., Ohio
PONDER
If some big or small “bad thing” has happened to you recently, you certainly deserve to take time to do what you need to do: scream, cry, journal, complain, grunt, whine, drink (milk), eat (oreos), pout, moan, etc. Then it is time to stand up, brush the dust off, and ask what (fictional) president Jed Bartlett used to ask his White House staff on the TV Series “West Wing: “What’s next?”
I don’t mean to over-simply the healing/recovery part of dealing with the “bad things.” I am here to testify that sometimes it can take weeks, months, or even years to do the first part. Just make sure you know when it is time to take RESPONSIBILITY and move on!
Peace,
Paul
p.s. I am returning from my retreat this week and will be wading through the pile of correspondence from the last few weeks. I will have stories to share I’m sure!
