Up And Doing

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.