Today's Quote

I came accross this post while reading a co-workers blog. She studies instructional design at BYU and I found this quote both eloquent and insightful. This relates to all of us but especially for Helen, Jim, Jill, and Jeff who meet and deal with many people every day and have a real opportunity to help and connect with people. This is from Mary Parker Follett, The New State, chapter 12, 1918:

Every man comes to us with a golden gift in his heart. Do we dare, therefore, avoid any man? If I stay by myself on my little self-made pedestal, I narrow myself down to my own personal equation of error. If I go to all my neighbors, my own life increases in multiple measure. The aim of each of us should be to live in the lives of all. Those fringes which connect my life with the life of every other human being in the world are the inlets by which the central forces flow into me. I am a worse lawyer, a worse teacher, a worse doctor if I do not know these wider contacts. Let us seek then those bonds which unite us with every other life. Then do we find reality, only in union, never in isolation.”

But it must be a significant union, never a mere coming together. How we waste immeasureable force in much of our social life in a mere tossing of the ball, on the merest externality and travesty of a common life which we do not penetrate for the secret at its heart. The quest of life and the meaning of life is reality. We may flit on the surface as gnats in the sunlight, but in each of us, however overlaid, is the hunger and thirst for realness, for substance. We must plunge down to find our treasure. The core of a worthy associated life is the call of reality to reality, the calling and answering and the bringing it forth from the depths forever more and more. To go to meet our fellows is to go out and let the winds of Heaven blow upon us - we throw ourselves open to every breath and current which spring from this meeting of life’s vital forces.”

First Post of the New Year

Well, someone had to break the long silence. I thought it would be a foot race between Nanci and myself. We even trash talked a little bit and double-dog dared. But in the end, I win. I will be the first 2007 entry and a lame one at that.

I did want to let all interested parties know that I have a new usb cord coming for my camera, so my motivation to blog will again be enhanced by being able to to post compelling pictures. A goal of the next two weekends is also to experiment with the new digital video camera to see what bounteous fruits that can produce.

Christmas break sure was a lot of fun, right? It will be good to get some photos up from those times. Nanci, Becki, and I making the most of our frat tendencies and helping bring home the big bowl game for BYU. Guitar Hero II and Dance Revolution at the cabin. Fresh snow. Every body sick. Good times.

The New Year has me back in Atlanta after briefly considering figuring out a way to work in Provo, go to grad school, and still be Director of Break Away. I'm here now though, for at least a couple of years and glad for it. It feels nice to be settling into a place. I have sketched out a few adventures which I hope to document and share. I'm excited to see what you all share too - this was a great addition to keeping in touch with the family last year, and I hope we can keep it up. The beauty is in the details.