Air Quote by Anne Lamott
“Pastor Veronica told the story of a sparrow lying in the street with its legs straight up in the air, straining. a warhorse walks up to it, and says, 'What on earth are you doing?' The sparrow replies, 'I heard the sky was falling, and I wanted to help.'The warhorse sneers-- 'Do you really think you're going to hold back the sky, with those scrawny little legs?' And the sparrow says, 'One does what one can.'”
About This Quote
A sparrow tries to help despite its frailty, illustrating earnest effort despite limited capacity.
In simple terms: Even small beings try to help.
Key Takeaway
Do what you can, however modest.
Themes
effort
humility
compassion
Mood
determined
empathetic
Type
narrative
inspirational
When to use this quote
- volunteer work
- small acts of kindness
- community projects
- personal goals
Key Concepts
agency
limitations
altruism
Questions to Reflect On
- What can you realistically contribute?
- How do you handle feeling powerless?
A Different Perspective
Efforts may be insufficient for large problems.
![“Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs [Less Developed Countries]?... I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that... I’ve always…” quote by Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ac4/lawrence-summers-16940_air_just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-wo_4703.jpg)
![“[A]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air. And be careful what you swallow.” quote by Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/da8/dr-seuss-1224_advice_a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-f_6806.jpg)
