The Pebble

Drop a pebble in the water: just a splash and it’s 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 discovered a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.

Drop an unkind word, or carelessness: in a minute it is gone;

But there’s a half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on.

They keep spreading, spreading, from the center as they go,

There’s no way to stop them, once you’ve started them to flow.

Drop and unkind word, or carelessness: 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 a 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 circling yet,

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, 1874-1939