Thought for the Day: Save What You Can

Pagans and Quakers spend a fair amount of time thinking about what is going wrong: wars, global warming, species extinction.

And if we're not careful, we can get caught up in feelings of helplessness, cynicism, or despair.

Today, reading about another effort to save yet another endangered species, I found my heart aching with something, something like this:

Photo Credit: KetaDesign

It doesn't matter if we're going to succeed or not. Not to you and me, and not to what we have to do. Yes, I am hopeful; but really, hope or despair is not my job. My job is to do what I can, small or large. Your job is the same.

Save what you can. Whether or not we're all headed for destruction is beside the point.

Save what you can. No pausing for cynicism or despair. No excuses. Get it done.

Comments

Erik said…

The ancient Jewish text Pirkei Avot (commonly called "Ethics of the Fathers" in English) puts it this way: "You are not required to complete the task; neither are you free to desist from it." (2:21)

9:42 AM

Cat C-B (and/or Peter B) said…

Now that is well said! Thanks Erik!

2:07 PM

Idzie Desmarais said…

Yes. That is wonderfully said, and feels so true.

3:33 PM

Anonymous said…

Wise words!

3:41 PM

Yewtree said…

I think it was Victor Frankl who also said: Just do the thing in front of you. I've always liked that, it makes the job seem more manageable. I like the Pirkei Avot quote, too.

5:05 AM

Elizabeth Vongvisith said…

Thank you for posting this.

5:10 PM

Anonymous said…

Thank you for this. Thank you everyone involved.

8:48 PM

Hrafn said…

Just wanted to say that I love this statement ^_^ It is an amazingly powerful one, that applies in many different areas of life.

5:07 PM

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