The great white whale - who knew?

[Chez moi]

 

Sometimes we feel discouraged, and wonder if our efforts are ever appreciated. But most of us just keep plugging away, and that's a good thing.  I got to musing about achievement when I saw this in my inbox:

 

"It's the birthday of Herman Melville, born in New York City in 1819. In 1841, he joined the crew of the whaler Acushnet. Inspired by his adventures at sea, Melville returned to New York and settled down to write about his travels. He got married, had four children, and moved to a farm in Massachusetts, where he became friends with Nathaniel Hawthorne. Melville went to work on Moby-Dick,and Hawthorne encouraged him to make the novel an allegory, not just another adventure story. Melville thought it was his best book yet. But when Moby-Dick came out in 1851, the public did not agree. It was too psychological. His American publisher only printed a few thousand copies, and most of those never even sold.

 

He moved to New York and got a job as a customs inspector on the New York docks, where he worked for 19 years. The manuscript of his final work, Billy Budd, was found in his desk after he died, by which time he had become so obscure that The New York Times called him "Henry Melville" in his obituary."

 

- The Writer's Almanac

 

Is knowing you've done your best enough for you?

[Stir Young]

Yep, the older I get, the less I'm concerned with my grand impact on the world. Like a lot of people, I guess, I'm stumbling along, trying to do my best, trying to achieve my inner goals, trying to not take more than my share, and trying to not knock too many people off the path on MY way to the finish line.

[P.A.]

I have not written a novel yet and probably won't. I did work the same job for 38 years, raise two great children and stay married to the person I loved for 30 years. In the last few years I have been thrown some curve balls but I am learning to hit them or at least foul them off.

[Snagg]

Absolutely. I've never lost much sleep over people who thought that my great desire in life should be a craving to impress them. Especially when contrasted with how little they've impressed me...

I'm a believer in Vince Lombardi's dictum that there is nothing in the world more common than unrecognized - and unrewarded - talent.

[Chez moi]

No wonder I feel good with you folks.

I think that the best things are often achieved by those doing what they believe in, not what will get them recognition. It is so easy to lose your compass with the glitz of fame.

[darroll]

When a person dies, how long do they remember you anyway?
Like my young daughter asked me, when you die, can I have your stereo?
I just want to be remembered by one thing, that guy was honest.
I was lucky in my life as I worked on things that I loved to work on.

[CWO3ROBBIE]

What will be remembered about me is still TBD. (I hope)

[Chez moi]

By all of us, yes. And your quest to meet us all.

,-D