Somewhere in the hazy days of mid-to-late December I found myself on parental leave, post-bedtime, trying to remember sewing stitches I learned in elementary school. Because a Very Determined Little Girl joined our family in 2024 and decided that, among other things, I needed to teach her how to sew. I do not sew, but I do love a metaphor.
Thinking about that sad, puckered fabric scrap with the knotted threads reminds me of something I read once. When things feel enormous and you are tempted to despair, it helps to know that all the threads you pull on are connected. Remember that the good you are doing in your corner of the world has ripple effects.
On a macro level, I have so many reasons to despair; I have done plenty of it and will do plenty more. But I keep returning to a piece of Jewish wisdom that says, “It is not your obligation to finish the work. Neither are you free to desist from it.”
So, in 2025, my family and I will pull on the threads we can. We are locking into our community through mutual aid, lending our time and resources. We are learning Spanish phrases to welcome the newly arrived kids in our neighborhood. We are taking in stray cats. We are planting strawberries and advocating for better sidewalks. And we are taking as many trips to the library as we want – Very Determined Little Girl (poetically) got her first library card on election day and is unstoppable.
I also know that the work I do at ROI Solutions to support our client partners and their missions is “pulling on the threads.” I’m continually inspired and grateful to know that I play even a small part in their success.
My Mission is an ongoing series of blog posts for ROI Solutions staff, clients, and partners to reflect on their professional or personal missions. Have a story to tell? Email [email protected].
