Words for the Week to ponder

Drop a pebble in the water, just a splash, and it is gone,
But there’s half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on;
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing out into the sea,
But there isn’t any way of telling where the end is going to be.
Drop a pebble in the water; in a minute you forget,
But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet,
And there’s little ripples flowing, to a great big wave have grown.
And you’ve disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.

Drop an unkind word or gesture; in a minute it is gone,
But there’s half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on;
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go,
And there isn’t any way to stop them once you start them on to flow.
Drop an unkind word or gesture, in a minute you forget,
But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet,
And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you’ve stirred,
And disturbed a life that’s happy when you dropped that unkind word.

Drop a word of cheer and kindness; just a flash and it is gone,
But there’s half a hundred ripples, circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave,
‘Til you wouldn’t believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness; in a minute you forget,
But there’s gladness still a-swelling and there’s joy a-circling yet,
And you’ve rolled a wave of comfort, whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water, just by dropping a kind word.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. — Alice Walker