In association with hhdlstudycirclemontreal.org
Archive for September 30, 2025
DailyGood: News That Inspires – Sep 30, 2025
|
|
|
|
| “To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.”
— Mary Davis |
|
|
Scotland’s Tiny Forest Revolution
Picture this: a ‘wee forest’ that transforms urban Scotland, sprouting hope and greenery in tennis court-sized plots. Schoolchildren get their hands dirty, learning why “a hedge matters,” and how tiny forests, inspired by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, become biodiversity havens for butterflies and bees. These mini forests, cramped with 600 trees, thrive on speed to make a difference — maturing in 10 years instead of 100. The movement is gaining traction. Beyond carbon absorption, they offer cooler microclimates, flood protection, and a playground for curious minds. Could your city be next on the list?
|
Be The Change
Plant a small native tree or a handful of native plants in your community and watch it become a mini oasis for local wildlife. |
|
|
|
Weekly excerpt to help us remember the sacred.
|
|
|
|
Just This Once
–Clay M. Christensen |
 I’d like to share a story about how I came to understand the potential damage of “just this once” in my own life. I played on the Oxford University varsity basketball team. We worked our tails off and finished the season undefeated. The guys on the team were the best friends I’ve ever had in my life. We got to the British equivalent of the NCAA tournament—and made it to the final four. It turned out the championship game was scheduled to be played on a Sunday. I had made a personal commitment to God at age 16 that I would never play ball on Sunday. So I went to the coach and explained my problem. He was incredulous. My teammates were, too, because I was the starting center. Every one of the guys on the team came to me and said, “You’ve got to play. Can’t you break the rule just this one time?”
I’m a deeply religious man, so I went away and prayed about what I should do. I got a very clear feeling that I shouldn’t break my commitment—so I didn’t play in the championship game.
In many ways that was a small decision—involving one of several thousand Sundays in my life. In theory, surely I could have crossed over the line just that one time and then not done it again. But looking back on it, resisting the temptation whose logic was “In this extenuating circumstance, just this once, it’s OK” has proven to be one of the most important decisions of my life. Why? My life has been one unending stream of extenuating circumstances. Had I crossed the line that one time, I would have done it over and over in the years that followed.
The lesson I learned from this is that it’s easier to hold to your principles 100% of the time than it is to hold to them 98% of the time. If you give in to “just this once,” based on a marginal cost analysis, as some of my former classmates have done, you’ll regret where you end up. You’ve got to define for yourself what you stand for and draw the line in a safe place. |
   |
| How do you relate to the notion that adhering to your principles 100% of the time can be easier than allowing occasional exceptions? Can you share a personal story that illustrates a moment when you faced a decision involving a commitment to a principle or value? What helps you identify and commit to the principles that define what you stand for, especially in the face of pressure or extenuating circumstances?
Add A Reflection |
|
Inspiring Links of the Week
|
About Awakin
Many moons ago, a couple friends got together to sit in silence for an hour, and share personal aha-moments. The ripples of that simple practice have now spread to millions over 20+ years, through local circles, weekly podcasts and more. |
|
|
|
|
| Don’t want these emails?
Unsubscribe from this email |
|
DailyGood
Sangha of Auspicious Companions 