Recently, NY Times columnist Bill Keller wrote a piece on John Borling. Keller talked about the secret poems Borling wrote during his six and a half years as a prisoner of war in Viet Nam; his distinguished military service following his release in 1973; his brief political career; and his later efforts to create change through contributing for the good of all Americans.
This piece has stayed with me for a variety of reasons and includes a range of thoughts and ideas that give me pause. I can make a number of assumptions about a number of things: strength, tenacity, focus, hope, public service, connection, resilience, community. Beyond that I can – at best – inadequately imagine glimpses of Borling’s experiences. One thing does come out loud and clear and may be a lesson worth learning for each of us. Keep Going. It’s so simple it sounds like a cliché. Still, to keep on keeping on is not an altogether bad idea. It is actually a lot easier to give up.
I know what Keep Going means for me; it sounds like a great Simple Rule. What does it mean for you?
