What's in a Quote?

by CJ Heck

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And, by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

When I first read the above quote, it touched me down inside on a soul level. I don't know why Mr. Hale wrote the quote, or the story behind it, only that it was a quote one of the college football coaches liked to use to pump up the guys in the locker room before their games.

I thought to myself, if I were to highlight the important words in each sentence, that quote is whispering to ME. "I AM only one, but I AM ONE. I CAN'T do EVERYthing, but I CAN do SOMEthing. The SOMEthing I OUGHT to do, I CAN do. And, by the grace of God, I WILL."

There was something in the quote that whispered to me when I first read it. The quote spoke to me of all of the military vets out there. This was a motto all of them lived by, even if they never heard the quote before, they took it with them -- to Vietnam or Cambodia or Afghanistan or Iraq -- They had it with them wherever our country sent them. They never complained. They did what they had to do. They did what they were trained to do and what they were told to do. They did what they thought was right.

There were several reasons why I started my third blog, Memoirs From Nam. None of the reasons included wanting to cause anyone undue anguish by digging and poking around where veterans, their families and friends had buried so much for nearly fifty years. I started Memoirs From Nam with all of the best of intentions and with gentle whispers from the Universe.

One night, just before sleep, I shared some frustrations with my spirit guide, Dinahh, about needing more closure regarding my first husband, Doug, who was killed in Vietnam. I even wrote a blog about it here on Knowing Whispers a few months ago. Here's an excerpt from that blog:

" ... It was Dinahh who suggested that part of my healing and further spiritual growth would be in helping others who also still carried so much hurt with them. He felt I should invite them to feel the fear and pain of the past, embrace it along with me, so we could all let it go and begin to heal.

Dinahh said, "Catherine, as I've told you before, do this and be patient. Open your heart and share your own feelings. Let your blog be a safe place for community; a place of peace and for sharing; be comforted knowing you are doing what in your heart is loving, and it will be. With us, everything is always as it should be. There is no time, only infinity. You must be patient. Do what you can and ... it will be."

Do what I can ... now THAT is exactly what the quote whispered to me. I am doing what I can, because I can do no less ...


Namaste, my friends!

Memoirs From Nam