Positive Thought + Positive Action = Contentment (and a ripple effect)
“Even the hardest mathematics problems usually have an easy solution; it is just finding the right formula that can be difficult. When confronted with difficulties in life, don’t look for the solution, look for the formula which we all have: contentment=positive thought + positive action. Once you’ve worked out the positives, you can work out the solution.”
Copyright 2006 Allen Steble
Thanks goes to my friend, Cheyanne, for this quote. She sends out a thought each day by email. She reminds me of this old poem my mom always loved and shared with me when I was little, Drop a Pebble in the Water. Cheyanne practices the idea of dropping a word of kindness and cheer every time she sends her email. Way to go, Girl!
Drop a Pebble in the Water
Drop a pebble in the water: just a splash, and it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to the sea.
And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be.
Drop a pebble in the water: in a minute you forget,
But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet,
And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;
You’ve disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on.
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go,
And there is no way to stop them, once you’ve started them to flow.
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute you forget;
But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet,
And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you’ve stirred,
And disturbed a life was happy ere you dropped that unkind word.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave
Till you wouldn’t believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: in a minute you forget;
But there’s gladness still a-swelling, and there’s joy acircling yet,
And you’ve rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word.
–James W. Foley
