'Ripples': Some Hopeful Words From John Thomas Dodson

OS, wired from a long drive, runs across this inspiring post.

It tells the story of how someone most readers here never have heard of, one Prince Esterhazy, living in the mid-18th century, changed the course of history for the better, for us all.

He deeply loved music, and spent a portion of his wealth hiring an unknown kid from Vienna named Josef Haydn. This works out well, to say the least, as over the next 30 years this kid becomes the most formidable musician in Europe, week in and week out doing his job. Haydn nurtures the genius of Mozart, and Beethoven learns much of his craft from Haydn as well.

Dodson makes a wonderful point:

During his lifetime, Haydn will compose over 100 symphonies, develop the new genre of the string quartet, and set the standard against which Mozart will be measured. He'll be the most famous musician of his age, and all of this because of you.

And that leads me to think of ripples.

Each one of us lives a life based on our values. We gradually form them, nurture them, and ultimately, become them. Behind us, we leave ripples of our having been here. Behind us, things happen: Some, because we decide to make a difference; others, the unanticipated results of the things we choose to do.

Because Prince Nikolaus recognized talent and nurtured it, Haydn found his way out of anonymity and into History. The story of music changed. Because of his stature, Haydn would find Mozart, and Beethoven would seek out Haydn. But Prince Esterházy could see none of that. He simply saw that around him he wanted music of the highest order.

Each one of us lives a life based on our values...we leave ripples behind...

The obscure prince, living out his values, changed the world, and died not even knowing he had done it.

Not too shabby.