Daniel Chow Daniel Chow

In a world where we can be anything, be kind.

Dear friend,

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 on out to the sea.

And there is no 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 those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;

You’ve disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.

Drop an unkind word, or careless: 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 is no way to stop them, once you’ve started them to flow.

Drop an unkind word, or careless: 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 was happy ere 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

Till 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 one kind word.

― James W. Foley, Journalist, Peace Ambassador, Mediator, October 18, 1973 – August 19, 2014

“Angels” come in many different forms. Even you could be an angel for someone. It is how we choose with our free will to interact with ourselves and others in this amazingly complex and interconnected world. We can choose to change our attentions and intentions right where each of us is in the moment and help make positive changes happen. Plant an acorn and patiently wait. Even if it seems insignificant, on the contrary, it is gloriously magnificent! Be patient.

I like to imagine that we are where we are supposed to be — if my moment is now, then I will grab it like a runner’s baton and run with it.

Whatever you and others locally do at the moment, out of kind intentions, your kind intentions will spread far and wide. There is always love and beauty even in the midst of turmoils. So even in the midst of turmoils beyond your neighborhood, there is at least one other human being who is meant to be there to make a difference.

This is very potent, and I hope you will feel and see this too.

You are not alone.

The Universe has your back.

Read More
Daniel Chow Daniel Chow

Surf like a pro

I have been experiencing many interesting dreams. One even has lively music with poetic lyrics. But that is for another time. Maybe I could convince Jason Mraz to turn it into a song for one of his albums 😊

Anyway, I woke from a dream immediately with this thought repeatedly playing in my mind this morning.

It is how we react or respond to something that could either weaken or strengthen us.

I remember an idea from someone I had heard or read; that is, about being patient while riding through a storm.

During the peak of the pandemic, I remember my cousin saying, this all shall pass. I kept that thought close to my heart.

Nothing is permanent. They all shall pass. They always do. They ebb and flow. The negatives and the positives. But we have been conditioned by societal upbringing and life experiences to confront or react to the negatives as something bad and the positives as something good. But the reality is that they are neither. Instead, they are life lessons that could either weaken or strengthen us. The outcome of one or the other depends on how we choose with our freewill to respond.

So whatever that happened or is happening in Life, I remind myself to be grateful, because positive or negative, these all shall pass. They always do. So I remind myself to be patient, and be kind to myself, and share them with others so that they too could ride the negative and positive waves like a pro surfer.

In a world where you can be anything, be kind 💕

Read More