Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
– From Psalm of Life, Henry Longfellow
These are the first lines of poetry I ever knew my heart – thanks to my dad proclaiming them to encourage me to get out of bed in the morning. His parents had done the same for him, and now I do for my sons.
They’re marvelous words, and a reminder that life is full of ups and downs. I love these two counterpoints:
achieving and pursuing – Whatever goal you’ve achieved, have your eyes on another. And even as you seek a distant goal, make daily achievements.
labor and wait – Sometimes you have to get your nose to the grindstone and sometimes you have to wait for the wind to blow.
Thinking of a dear old friend who is up and doing an amazingly challenging project, and working hard to keep his heart open to any fate.
Keep running up the hill, mjw.