This and That

by Simon Goland, October 22, 2008

Today’s Reflection is not about any one specific topic.

The past few weeks have been full of many events, activities, challenges, and even victories. It feels as though there are too many thoughts and ideas in my head and heart right now, which makes it challenging to pick any one theme to zoom in on. Hence, I am going to let it all go, and instead, share with you various quotes, passages, and stories that have been collecting the metaphorical techno-dust in my computer.

“Divine chaos is a course corrector, a way of bringing down the systems that distraction built in order that they can be replaced with systems or structures designed with conscious thought.” – Caroline Myss

“Legacies aren’t the result of wishful thinking. They’re the result of determined doing. The legacy you leave is the life you lead. We lead our lives daily. We leave our legacy daily. The people you see, the decisions you make, the actions you take- they are what tell your story. It’s the sum of everything you do that matters, not one large bequest at the end of your tenure. Despite all out talk about leaders’ needing to be concerned about the future, the most important leadership actions are the ones you take today. You just never know whose life you might touch. You just never know what change you might initiate and what impact you might have. You just never know when that critical moment might come. What you do know is that you can make a difference. You can leave this world better than you found it.” – anonymous

“I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers.” – Kahlil Gibran

“Human behavior is rooted most deeply in nature’s intentions and desire. The rhythms of nature underlie all of human interaction: religious traditions, economic systems, cultural and political organization. When these human forms betray the natural psychic pulse, people and societies get sick, nature is exploited and entire species are threatened.”- Stephen Aizenstat

“Nature exults in abounding radicality, extremism, anarchy. If we were to judge nature by its common sense or likelihood, we wouldn’t believe the world existed. In nature, improbabilities are the one stock in trade. The whole creation is one lunatic fringe… No claims of any and all revelations could be so far-fetched as a single giraffe.” –Annie Dillard

“When you lose your sense of humour, things just aren’t funny anymore.” – Philip Clement

A sunny week to you all, inside and out.
Simon