There is a road, no simple highway
Between the dawn and the dark of night
And if you go, no one may follow
That path is for your steps alone
— The Grateful Dead, Ripple

Life is forever undetermined, awaiting our next step on the path. There are no guarantees of success or assurances of a better tomorrow. We simply must take the next step after this one, with a fix on direction and a glimmer of hope for the outcome we desire.

It’s easy to forget the splash we ourselves are making in the lives of others. If we’re raised properly, we learn to listen and observe others around us, that we may understand and respond appropriately. We don’t always feel the ripple we make because we’re in the center of it, but we may become aware of our influence in time.

Look around at the changes life is unfolding around us with the wonder it deserves. It’s ours alone to bear witness, and more, to influence. This is our verse to write, this is our song to sing, this is our path to walk alone. And yet, we aren’t so alone at all, when we see the ripple we’ve made that broadcasts outward even still.