Ripples v9.22: Quick Dessert!
5/28/07: a free weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
____________________PEBBLE ____________________
Life is short. Eat dessert first.
-Ms. Starker, my 3rd grade teacher., submitted by Kelly M., Madison WI
____________________BOULDER ____________________
Now and then
it's good to pause
in our pursuit of happiness,
and just be happy.
-Guillaume Apollinaire, submitted by Shellie L., Parker CO
____________________SPLASH ____________________
I was going to skip this week's Ripples just because your "In" box may be overflowing with STUFF after the holiday weekend...but then I thought maybe I should give you a bit of DESSERT before you attempt to conquer all that stuff! Thanks to lots of input from Ripplers everywhere, I am proud to unveil the updated version of our very own Quote Pond:
Enjoy: http://TheQuotePond.com
Oh, and here is another treat for the world....
I just purchased a new vehicle and decided to make it a bit Ripply:
http://theripplesproject.org/smf/index.php?topic=212.0
Peace,
Paul
Monday, May 28, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Ripples v9.21: Service!
Ripples v9.21: Service!
5/21/07: a free weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
____________________PEBBLE ____________________
Image what a harmonious world it could be if every person,
both young and old, shared a little of what he or she was good at doing.
-Quincy Jones, submitted by Brandy T., Olympia WA
____________________BOULDER ____________________
I slept
and dreamt
that life was joy.
I awoke
and saw
that life was service.
I acted
and behold,
service was joy.
-Rabindranath Tagore, submitted by Marilyn L., Madison WI
____________________SPLASH ____________________
I suspect that our community of Ripplers is doing more than their share of service work, so if you are already over-involved with STUFF, please don't take this week's theme as another lecture to "do your part!"
Instead, I hope you can keep your eyes and ears open to just NOTICE what happens the next time you do something for someone else. The service could be something as simple as holding a door open or practicing extra loving kindness when the driver in front of you forgets to signal before turning. On the other hand, it might involve helping out at an fund raiser or following through on a commitment to take a "shift" at your favorite non-profit (stuffing envelopes, delivering meals, or just sitting with a client who wants company?). Whatever the task, I dare you to observe what you are THINKING and FEELING while you do it. You may find out that SERVICE to others also provides a remarkable service to yourself!
Peace,
Paul
5/21/07: a free weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
____________________PEBBLE ____________________
Image what a harmonious world it could be if every person,
both young and old, shared a little of what he or she was good at doing.
-Quincy Jones, submitted by Brandy T., Olympia WA
____________________BOULDER ____________________
I slept
and dreamt
that life was joy.
I awoke
and saw
that life was service.
I acted
and behold,
service was joy.
-Rabindranath Tagore, submitted by Marilyn L., Madison WI
____________________SPLASH ____________________
I suspect that our community of Ripplers is doing more than their share of service work, so if you are already over-involved with STUFF, please don't take this week's theme as another lecture to "do your part!"
Instead, I hope you can keep your eyes and ears open to just NOTICE what happens the next time you do something for someone else. The service could be something as simple as holding a door open or practicing extra loving kindness when the driver in front of you forgets to signal before turning. On the other hand, it might involve helping out at an fund raiser or following through on a commitment to take a "shift" at your favorite non-profit (stuffing envelopes, delivering meals, or just sitting with a client who wants company?). Whatever the task, I dare you to observe what you are THINKING and FEELING while you do it. You may find out that SERVICE to others also provides a remarkable service to yourself!
Peace,
Paul
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Ripples v9.20: Life Flows!
Ripples v9.20: Life Flows!
5/14/07: a free weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
Dwell as near as possible
to the channel in which your life flows.
-Henry David Thoreau
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o
Feel the rain on your skin.
No one else can feel it for you,
Only you can let it in.
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips.
Drench yourself in words unspoken.
Live your life with arms wide open.
Today is where your book begins,
The rest is still unwritten.
-Natasha Bedingfield, submitted by Nikki B., Cranston RI
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= SPLASH =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
What moves you? Which activities, when you find time for them, make you feel more alive? Whether it is work or play, large group or solo, daily or once in a lifetime, I hope you can take a moment this week to follow through on at least one action that will help your LIFE FLOW!
Peace,
Paul
5/14/07: a free weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
Dwell as near as possible
to the channel in which your life flows.
-Henry David Thoreau
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o
Feel the rain on your skin.
No one else can feel it for you,
Only you can let it in.
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips.
Drench yourself in words unspoken.
Live your life with arms wide open.
Today is where your book begins,
The rest is still unwritten.
-Natasha Bedingfield, submitted by Nikki B., Cranston RI
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= SPLASH =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
What moves you? Which activities, when you find time for them, make you feel more alive? Whether it is work or play, large group or solo, daily or once in a lifetime, I hope you can take a moment this week to follow through on at least one action that will help your LIFE FLOW!
Peace,
Paul
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Ripples v9.19: Heat!
Ripples v9.19: Heat!
5/7/07: a free weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot.
It has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain.
-Mildred W. Struven, submitted by Heather C., Atlanta GA
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o
Carrots, Eggs, & Coffee.
Upon hearing him complain about how difficult his life was, she put three pots of water on the stove. When the water came to a boil, she placed carrots in the first pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third. After boiling for 20 minutes, she asked him what he saw.
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," he replied.
She brought him closer and asked him to feel the carrots (they were soft), the eggs (they were hard), and to taste the coffee (it was good!).
She explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique: after they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
-condensed from unknown source, submitted by Brad W., Phoenix AZ
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
This is the time of year when many of our Ripplers are feeling the HEAT of final exams, project deadlines, etc. Others may be facing unexpected obstacles or setbacks. For some of us, this is actually a lighter period and things are actually just fine. The question isn't whether or not things will get hot, the question is: How will we handle the HEAT?
When you feel the HEAT coming on, just know that you have a choice in how you respond, and remember that you will be better, stronger, and wiser on the other side of the craziness!
Peace!
Paul
5/7/07: a free weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot.
It has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain.
-Mildred W. Struven, submitted by Heather C., Atlanta GA
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o
Carrots, Eggs, & Coffee.
Upon hearing him complain about how difficult his life was, she put three pots of water on the stove. When the water came to a boil, she placed carrots in the first pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third. After boiling for 20 minutes, she asked him what he saw.
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," he replied.
She brought him closer and asked him to feel the carrots (they were soft), the eggs (they were hard), and to taste the coffee (it was good!).
She explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique: after they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
-condensed from unknown source, submitted by Brad W., Phoenix AZ
=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o
This is the time of year when many of our Ripplers are feeling the HEAT of final exams, project deadlines, etc. Others may be facing unexpected obstacles or setbacks. For some of us, this is actually a lighter period and things are actually just fine. The question isn't whether or not things will get hot, the question is: How will we handle the HEAT?
When you feel the HEAT coming on, just know that you have a choice in how you respond, and remember that you will be better, stronger, and wiser on the other side of the craziness!
Peace!
Paul
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