Gradual Progress If you decide how you want your home to be, and then make choices that get you nearer to that, things will get gradually better. If you don't decide, or if you don't think of it many times a day when you make small choices, and decide how to act and react, then things won't get better. Not every step will be forward, but if most of them are, then you'll make progress.
photo by Sandra Dodd |
This sounds to me like your SCA philosophy of make the better/more medieval choice.Sandra Dodd
That's where it came from. Kirby was a baby when Leif was knighted and that idea arose, in his vigil. We used that a lot, in philosophy discussions, and as I had more kids and more SCA students, we found it works in all aspects of life!Something else I polished in those discussions was that people have lots of ideas. Ideas are abundant, but theories are a little fancier. And a theory, carried around and tried out, can become a conviction.
So it wasn't long before "make the better choice" became an unshakable conviction—that anyone's life or goals or projects can be approached with "think of two options, and choose the one that gets you nearer your goal" would help. We never saw it fail to help. 🙂 [more of that story here]
love this! it's a gentle reminder that what i'm doing (being aware, then implementing those changes, all while holding the vision of what i want for my family/our household) is the best possible thing and the small, incremental changes do eventually pay off ❤️Sandra Dodd
Thanks, Valeri—I'm glad you liked it. 🙂
Justine Scholefield
October 16, 2012 at 11:39 PM
Sandra, I wanted to let you know how much I love this particular post. Sometimes the place we are trying to get to seems really far away, with so much stuff to get through - but really, it isn't. When you look at what is happening now and what you can do to change things for the better, it seems like something you can indeed achieve. And, as you say, every change for the better brings you closer to the place you want to be.
This post inspired me too, and as people around are in such a need to see their own progress, I decided to translate it. I added some picture from Felix Baumgartner project as my son was interested in it, and decided to delay for a couple of hours another project he was doing with his dad to stay tuned to see Felix breaking the sound barrier. I think this illustrates well how gradual is the progress.Here in French, now: http://journaljose.blogspot.ca/2012/10/progres-graduel.html
Thank you very much Sandra for your daily inspiration on this blog.
« Si vous décidez comment vous voulez que soit votre foyer, et qu'ensuite vous faites des choix qui vous y amènent plus près, les choses iront graduellement mieux.Si vous ne décidez pas, ou si vous n'y pensez pas plusieurs fois par jour quand vous faites de petits choix et décidez comment agir et réagir, alors les choses ne vont pas s'améliorer.
Ce ne sera pas chaque pas qui sera vers l'avant, mais si la plupart d'entre eux le sont, alors vous ferez des progrès. » ~Sandra Dodd
If it's still there, it has more commentary, in French.
"If you decide how you want your home to be, and then make choices that get you nearer to that, things will get gradually better."If you don't decide, or if you don't think of it many times a day when you make small choices, and decide how to act and react, then things won't get better.
"Not every step will be forward, but if most of them are, then you'll make progress."
Thank you, Sandra Dodd. I have found this idea at the core of my religion, in regards to how a person goes about regenerating towards a heavenly self, using the God-given given gifts of human freedom and rationality. So, not surprisingly, building a happier home is the same path as becoming a better person. 🙂
Comment #1:
I love this quote--so simple in its wisdom, and so helpful because it actually feels doable! Sandra Dodd is awesome 🙂!Comment #2:
At first I thought you were talking about decluttering and cleaning, which makes sense as well. I love how true this is, though. One little step at a time, and things start getting orderly, in home or in mind/heart!Comment #3:
It works every way you look at it.
