The Story (so far) of The Beckoning of Lovely       

a tidy 3-minute synopsis of the project.

 

 

Or better yet, watch the project as it unfolded & evolved video by video:

 

 

17 things i made    

Launched on YouTube June 23, 2008.  

 (2 minutes long)    

 

The Beckoning of Lovely 

Then came this.  Launched on YouTube  September 1, 2008 

 (7 minutes long)    

Invitation to the Universe   

Then this.  Launched on YouTube November 20, 2008.  

(2 minutes long) 

The Story (so far) of The Beckoning of Lovely    

Here we are now.  Launched on YouTube  January 31, 2009.  

(3 minutes long)   

 

 

 

 

*******************************************************************************************************

 

 

Official ice cream of The Beckoning of Lovely:  Ben and Jerry’s “Yes Pecan”

Official mascot:  11-month-old Abraham Elston, of Indiana US

 

p.s.s. for amy’s online home base, jump over       here

 

 

********    bLOG CABINet    ********

 

 

Secretary of Slate (assist with every big and little thing related to the making of this feature film)

 

Jennifer Habicher (Toronto)  

 

 

Senior Advise Her

 

Allison Tyler Zipoli (New York City)

Lisa Pijuan-Nomura (Toronto)

Jeff Kohen (New Zealand)

 

 

 

Nice President     

 

Kate Swoboda (California)

 

 

 

Secretary of the Treasured  (cataloguing and safekeeping of submissions)

 

Patrick Elkins-Zeglarski (Denver)

 

 

 

Chief of Gaffe  (help avoid and learn from mistakes)

 

Julie Pelc (California)

 

 

 

Special Agents

 

Joana Cabral (Portugal)

Annie Langseth (North Dakota)

Rachel Jendrzejewski (Poland)

Lindsey Eller (Eastern Europe)

 

 

(leave ‘em) Speech(less) Writer

 

Morgan Ertel (New York City)

 

 

Lemen Aides

Jen Lemen (Washington, DC)

Rachelle Mee-Chapman (Denmark)

 

 

Stuff-I-Dignitaries  (gathering and hunting of more lovely)

 

Nicole Iwawaki (California)

Megan Young (New Zealand)

Karen Hardie (Australia)

Albert Huber (student, Brown University)

Fiona Robyn (UK)

 

 

Supremely Excellent Judges (International Panel)

 

Beth Kephart  (Pennsylvania)

Anne Carmack (Los Angeles)

Sarah Unger (New Jersey)

Brian Warfield (Philadelphia)

Katy Morgan  (Virginia)

Natalie Antoci (Los Angeles)

Elisabeth Zachary Snider (Tennessee)

Becky Banayan (Massachusetts)

Elliot Quick (New York City)

 

 

Supremely Excellent Judges (Chicago-based Panel)

 

Eileen Button                                                     

Dale Stewart                                                     

Amy Giovannetti                                                

Sarah Gardner                                                   

Jolene Sullivan                                                   

Laura Berger                                                     

Julie Witcoff                                                      

Dena Tarlin                                                       

Valerie Foltz

Adam Ziemkiewicz

Lief Justice:  Todd Lief                                    

 

Supremely Excellent Judges (Teen Panel)

 

Kristin Hinton (Louisiana)

Alex Dahlberg (Montreal)

Megan Chapman (Iowa)

Rachel Oshinksy (Boston)

Bee Gallagher (North Carolina)

Ally Schmidt (Missouri)

Allegra Rosenberg (Chicago)

James Langham (England)

Caillie Bullion-Howard

 

 

I.T. Girl

 

Christa Del Giorno (Maryland)

 

 

 

U.S. Hostmaster General  (create and implement Beckoning of Lovely gatherings around country)

 

Rebecca Goodstein (Washington, D.C.)

 

 

 

Seeker of the House  (coordinate house-stops on tour this spring)

 

Robin Burisek (Illinois)

 

 

 

Community Organizers

 

Lindsay Phillips (Florida)

Amie Hollis (Nashville)

Sarah Abreu  (California)

Kathryn Jennings (Salt Lake City)

Sheila Delaney (Minneapolis)

Teresa Bright (Iowa)

Becky Ferguson (Illinois)

 

 

First Husband

 

Jason Rosenthal 

 

 

(Krouse) House Majority Leader 

 

Ann Krouse  (my mom)

 

 

 (Loomless) Weaver  (works with Secretary heads of all Departments below)

 

Dawn Mirsky (Connecticut)

 

 

* connotes Secretary position

 

Department of Homeland Obscurity  (PR, press, media)

 

* Amy L. Hayden (Chicago)

Sara Mobilia (New York)

Grace Kendall (Virginia)

Mary Talalay (Maryland)

Jordan Cooper Monroe (California)

William Michael Geraghty (Reno)

 

 

Department of Energy  (teens)

 

* Caroline Gaspard  (New Orleans)

Lydia Wohlenhaus (Indiana)

Kat Schober (Austin)

Nina Wessels (Georgia)

Haley Deshotels (Atlanta)

Nicole Hicks (Ohio)

Hannah Powers (Illinois)

Christa Leary (Connecticut)

Emily McLaughlin (Pennsylvania)

Cara Fisher (Ohio)

 

 

Department of Labor  (moms)

 

* Rebecca Kavanagh (Michigan)

Brigid Korce (Colorado)

Mary Duan (Berkeley)

Sarah Baldry

Martie Sanders

Lindsay Anderson (Canada)

Betsy Kennedy (Florida)

Christine Bernardo (Guam)

Amysue Chase (Massachusetts)

 

 

Department of Education  (educators and college students)

 

* Roberta Ruark (Seattle)

Svante Odmark (Sweden)

Tracy Barnett (San Francisco)

Amanda Grosgebauer (Texas)

Amy Walters (London/Exeter)

Mary Wyatt (Detroit)

Erica England (Florida)

Alyssa Jocson (Seattle)

 

 

Department of the Interior (focus on intuition/spiritual/soulful)

* Sarah Grayson  (Mexico)

Elizabeth Picone (Houston)

Sam Smith (Oklahoma)

Alan Sinnett (Massachusetts)

Linda Thomas (Michigan)

Susan McLaughlin Karp (Illinois)

Amy Gray

Micah Sewell

Patty Norman (California)

Liz Ling (Illinois)

Faith Cohen (Indianapolis)

 

 

Department of Immense  (big thinkers, dreamers, do-ers)

 

* Meg Goodmanson

Lisa Coughlin (Illinois)

Billie Jo Joy (Massachusetts)

Jeremiah Alexis (New York City)

Troy W. Pottgen

Carol Weiler (Chicago)

Emily Whitehill Richter (Kentucky)

Monique Smith

Kim Candlish

Lauren Dirgo (North Carolina)

Michelle Stinson

Matt Ross

Shelley Jarrard (Salt Lake City)

Amanda Sapir (Arizona)

Tarren Renn (New Hampshire)

Joana Smith (Houston)

Deidre Reed (Los Angeles)

Don Gagnon (Rhode Island)

Andrea Lynn McKeen (Massachusetts)

Roni Dylan Vellanueva (Australia)

Christine Campbell (Canada)

Judy Cole

Paul Pino (Gainsville)

 

 

Ally Forces  (people named Ally who are simply on our side)

Ally Hoekwater

James Ally Staton

Ally Schmidt

Ally Rosenberg

Aly(sa) Rose

Allie C. / Blue Willow books

Dakota Lane (Dakota means “ally”)

Ally Commander:  Ally Zema

 

 

 

Choreographer

 

Jennifer Li Jackson  (Los Angeles)

 

 

Music

 

Nick Gage  (Chicago

Marc Jackson  (Los Angeles)

 

 

Olfactory Girls (create Beckoning of Lovely scent/perfume)

Heidi Sauhammel (Chicago)

Zoe Ballek (Canada)

 

 

Log Cabin owner and host of our forthcoming “(Missing) Piece Talks”

 

Heidi Rettig (Montana)

 

 

Project Mascot

 

Abraham Elston, age 11 months  (Indiana)

 

 

Story Tellers  (specializing in brevity and clarity, respectively)

 

Kate Morrison (Los Angeles)

John Farbrother  (Chicago)

 

 

Bank Tellers  (they’ll tell us what they can do to help)

 

Ellyn, Nikki and Kara Bank (Chicago)

Intern

 

Madison Page  (student UCLA)

 

 

The men behind the curtain/wheel:

Steve Delahoyde (helps with all things film-related)

Brian Stojak  (helps with all things, period)

 

 

The Transition Team (please see their full bios at bottom of page)

Hugh Musick (Chicago)

John Williams (Chicago)

Cathy Berner (Houston)

Charise Mericle Harper (New York)

John Green (Indianapolis)

Dana Hirt (Chicago)

Brian Koppelman (New York)

Thank you also to Katie Froelich for her speed reading skills and help.

 

 

Ambassadors of Lovely

Heidi Storm (Minnesota, USA)

Marilyn McCredy (New York, USA)

Lisle Soukup Poulsen (Illinois, USA)

Kira Larsen (Nova Scotia, Canada)

Lisa Coughlin (Illinois, USA)

Lisa Higgins (Washington, USA)

Gina Namkung (New Mexico, USA)

Cindy Salam (California, USA)

Elizabeth LoBaido (Michigan, USA)

Sophie Taft (Illinois, USA)

Caryl St. Claire (Wisconsin, USA)

Helena Tornkvist (Sweden)

Nancy Jones (Alabama, USA)

Joi Kaminski (Illinois, USA)

Natasha Corela (California, USA)

Andy Fergus (British Columbia, Canada)

Amy Rennert (California, USA)

Gary Hernandez (Illinois, USA)

Annie Lambeth (Idaho, USA)

Madilyne Fogarty (Nevada, USA)

Jessica Ruston (England)

Samantha Uphold (Indiana, USA)

Olga Lempert (Lithuania)

Svante Odmark (Sweden)

Rachelle Mee-Chapman (Denmark)

Wendy Ritter (Ohio, USA)

Jana Bowman (North Carolina, USA)

Amysue Chase (Massachusetts, USA)

Jennifer Swartz (Rhode Island, USA)

Nicole Coyle (New Jersey, USA)

Tammy Coble (Georgia, USA)

Lori Patrick (Washington, USA)

Jennifer Sauls (Georgia, USA)

Lisa Tuckett (Washington, USA)

Molly Adler (Virginia, USA)

Lainey Molin (Maryland, USA)

Tamie Harkins (Arizona, USA)

Holly Hinkle (West Virginia, USA)

Kirsten Olson (Delaware, USA)

Stephanie McGovern (Virginia, USA)

Tracy Kohloff-Blauser (Wisconsin, USA)

Jeff Watt (Illinois, USA)

John Williams (Illinois, USA)

Karen Holmes (Ohio, USA)

Celibelle Falcon (Puerto Rico)

Lexi Star Higgins (New York, USA)

Jennifer Siler Reed (California, USA)

Becky Spevack (Pennsylvania, USA)

Theresa Marks (Hawaii, USA)

Todd Hansen (New Mexico, USA)

Christine Mcentee (Virginia, USA)

Stacey M. Curry (Nebraska, USA)

Rosemari Roast (Connecticut, USA)

Ashley Anavarre (Louisiana, USA)

Maya Bender (Minnesota, USA)

Alison Harra (New York, USA)

Melody McWilliam (Washington, USA)

Willow Collins (Virginia, USA)

Ami M. Smith (West Virginia, USA)

Karen Mizen (United Kingdom)

Nina Johnson (Michigan, USA)

Ruth Pimentel (Massachusetts, USA)

Beth Silver (Virginia, USA)

Chris Fleming (Illinois, USA)

Amanda Blake Soule (Maine, USA)

Jean Fendick (Oregon, USA)

Debra Siegel (Ohio, USA)

Becky Lee (Texas, USA)

Cathy Berner (Texas, USA)

Rebecca Trawick (California, USA)

Pamela Polland (Hawaii, USA)

Traci Bunkers (Kansas, USA)

Susan Cairnie (British Columbia, Canada)

Marge Duff (Illinois, USA)

Rebecca Drew (Pennsylvania, USA)

Dawn Thompson (Ohio, USA)

Ashley Santoro (Ontario, Canada)

Sunny Wilderman (Indiana, USA)

Elizabeth Allen (Georgia, USA)

Margarita Korol (Illinois, USA)

Linda Daniels (Illinois, USA)

Carol Knowles (Illinois, USA)

Rene Redfern (Illinois, USA)

Kristen Orser (Illinois, USA)

Charise Mericle Harper (New York, USA)

Stacy Julian (Washington, USA)

Julie Alvarez (Argentina)

Melissa Sauk (Pennsylvania, USA)

Pattie Donahue (Illinois, USA)

Gina Bentley (Washington, USA)

Sierra Meador (Florida, USA)

Heidi Blackwelder (Utah, USA)

Mykell Walton (Idaho, USA)

Yael Werber (Massachusetts, USA)

Michael Floden (Illinois, USA)

Nili Yelin (Illinois, USA)

Erica Garcia (Illinois, USA)

Barbara Flynn (Pennsylvania, USA)

Jessie Senese (Illinois, USA)

Brandi Reynolds (Texas, USA)

Rebecca Goodstein (District of Columbia, USA)

Lucia Blinn (Florida, USA)

Alex Dahlberg (Quebec, Canada)

Christine Campbell (New Brunswick, Canada)

Joan Boyle (California, USA)

Elisabeth Zachary Snider (Tennessee, USA)

Dr. Mehret Mandefro (Pennsylvania, USA)

Betsy Kennedy (Florida, USA)

Haley Schultheis (Texas, USA)

Mary Canning (Australia)

Becky Hermann (Michigan, USA)

Ruth Morrison (New York, USA)

Jennifer Coy (Texas, USA)

Lisa Parks (Virginia, USA)

Jen Renninger (Florida, USA)

Jennifer Heyser (Georgia, USA)

Barbara Israel (Maryland, USA)

Lacey A. Schwartz (New York, USA)

Peggy Reinholt (Delaware, USA)

Lois Doyle (Illinois, USA)

Karen Nelson (New York, USA)

Chelsea Gomez (Texas, USA)

Candice Hayden (Florida, USA)

Jill Dryer Bartolucci (Illinois, USA)

Becky Pollitt (England)

William Redd (North Carolina, USA)

Christine Sneddon (California, USA)

Heather Leide (Minnesota, USA)

Liisa Kaarsoo (Alberta, Canada)

Lisa Myers (Oklahoma, USA)

Jill Harvey (Georgia, USA)

Sherri Levek (Arizona, USA)

Rose Palafox (Texas, USA)

Lindsey Swan (Oregon, USA)

Jenny Nickoli (Alabama, USA)

Abbey Bowerman (England)

Mark Montondo (New York, USA)

Alessandra de Souza (California, USA) 

 

 

 “THE BECKONING OF LOVELY”     a feature film featuring you

Directed by Steve Delahoyde and Amy 

Filmed and edited by Steve

Main narration: Steve 

First song by Nick Gage   nmgage2000@yahoo.com

Second song by Jon Brion

Film conceived, written and produced by Amy

 

 

 

Invitation from “The Beckoning of Lovely”

 

 

click on the bubbles to view the short film The Beckoning of Lovely 

 

 

“THE BECKONING OF LOVELY”  SUBMISSION INFO

 

Submission categories include:     Music of all kinds / Bands/ Singer-Songwriters / Videos / Short films / Animation / Paintings / Drawings / Art / Illustration / True stories / Made-up stories / Poems/ Lists / Monologues / Plays / Dance / Inventions / Crafts / Photographs / Cell phone snapshots / Architecture / Design / Culinary creations / Journal pages / Collage / Sand castles /  Everything

Please know that we are VERY open to all kinds of uncategorizable creations.  As stated in the film,“Whatever it is you’re making, if it’s lovely, send it to us.”

  Please submit whatever it is you’re sending via YouTube, email, or other electronic medium for review.  If your piece is selected, we’ll ask you to submit the original, hi-res version (e.g. tape, large photograph, hi-res audio file, etc.) so please make sure to keep the originals of whatever you’re sending so we can have access to it if it is selected.   Email is missamykr@yahoo.com    PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME, AGE, AND COUNTRY.   You may also send through standard mail:  Amy Krouse Rosenthal, 222 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60601

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS JANUARY 20TH, 2009.

HUGELY IMPORTANT:  You must take a look at this Creative Commons Attribution License.  If your creation is chosen, this is the agreement we will refer to.  It simply protects YOU and keeps things straight between us, ok?

 

Don’t worry if your creation/submission isn’t in a visual or film-friendly format.  It will be our challenge and joy to find a way to bring it to life on the big screen.

  About compensation:   As we do not know enough yet about where this project is going, making any sort of monetary offerings or promises seems unwise and premature.  This is a big whopping experiment, and we are just going with it.  That said, if there is money to be made down the road, we would feel it only right to compensate the contributors in some way as a good faith gesture.  For now, what we CAN promise you is this:  All contributors will be credited fully and openly (with associated website/contact information when applicable) both in the final movie and on The Beckoning of Lovely website. Contributors would be flown in for the premiere and cast party. We would do everything we can to make this a rewarding, beneficial and super fun experience for you.  Bottom line about this “collaboration with the universe”–  it is our mission and intention to find the most lovely stuff floating out there, and if you are the creator/maker of it, we want the world to know about it and you.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Let us pause and savor for a moment The Beckoning of Lovely’s anagram…

Evoking Bent Echo Folly

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

The Beckoning of Lovely’s Next Phase Team

Official next steps as of November 21, 2008

 

Watch the 2-minute film announcing this new phase and inviting the universe to join in.

 

 

A couple quick points of clarification about the key positions and team: 

 1. This is an all-ages gig; doors are wide open to everyone.  

 2.  This is also an all-globe gig; zero geographical restrictions.  We will be working together through email and phone.  That said, if and when I feel the need to bring some of us together face to face for a powwow, that will be at my expense.

 3.  I hope it is clear that these are not full-time jobs or anything.   You, me, we’re all working day jobs and this project is designed to slide right into the crevices, to be a rewarding a-la-carte endeavor.

 

4.  And let me say this:  those chosen would naturally become an integral part of this project/journey and would be recognized and treated as such.  Ways I can presently think of: being fully credited in final film, being publicly acknowledged, being wildly thanked, being bestowed with some kind of semi-meaningful parting gift.  I’m sure there are lots of other ways too, I simply have yet to think of them; I trust it shall all become clear and obvious to me as we move along.

 

 

 

Announcing the next steps of “The Beckoning of Lovely” project:

Assembling the “Next Phase Team”

Dates:  November 21, 2008 – January 20, 2009

 

“The Beckoning of Lovely” project has, at each stage and in every way, been about reaching out to and interacting with the universe.  It recently/finally occurred to me that this next phase, the actual movie-making part, should be no different.  So, dearest universe, hear me loud and clear:  between now and January 20^th (Inauguration Day) I will be casting my net far and wide to assemble the team which will join me in the third and perhaps final stage: creating the thing that wants to be created.  

 

Below in orange you will find a list of the key positions I am looking to fill.  I’ve briefly described each job title and how to apply.   It’s all pretty simple really; no trick questions, no fancy stuff, just want to know who you are and what’s the deal.  If you choose to apply, just send the requested information to me at missamykr@yahoo.com   

 

A couple quick points of clarification: 

 

1. This is an all-ages gig; doors are wide open to everyone.  

 

2.  This is also an all-globe gig; zero geographical restrictions.  We will be working together through email and phone.  That said, if and when I feel the need to bring some of us together face to face for a powwow, that will be at my expense.

 

3.  I hope it is clear that these are not full-time jobs or anything.   You, me, we’re all working day jobs and this project is designed to slide right into the crevices, to be a rewarding a-la-carte endeavor.

 

4.  And let me say this:  those chosen would naturally become an integral part of this project/journey and would be recognized and treated as such.  Ways I can presently think of: being fully credited in final film, being publicly acknowledged, being wildly thanked, being bestowed with some kind of semi-meaningful parting gift.  I’m sure there are lots of other ways too, I simply have yet to think of them; I trust it shall all become clear and obvious to me as we move along.

 

 

*** DATES FOR APPLYING *********************************

I will accept applications all the way up until Friday January 16^th, 2009.  If you are in the running for a position, you will hear from me sometime over the weekend of January 16-18^th. On Monday January 19^th all positions will be announced and posted.   On January 20^th, a day electric with hope and possibility, all appointees will “take office” and we, the Beckoning of Lovely people, will get down to work.  

 

 

*** THE FIRST 100 DAYS ************************

 

Our mission: to make this thing within 100 days.  

 

Begin: January 20^th.  End: April 29^th.

 

 

*** Side Note **********************

 

You must indulge me one moment to share this crazy bit of synchronicity:

 

Our 44^th President’s first 100 days in office concludes on April 29^th, 2009.

 

April 29^th, 2009 is my birthday…

                                                        my 44^th birthday.

 

(When I did the math and realized this, you can be sure I took it as some kind of sign/confirmation.)

 

 

*** TRANSITION TEAM ********************************

 

I’d like to announce my Transition Team:

 

Hugh Musick

Associate Dean

Institute of Design/IIT

Chicago, IL

 

John Williams

Radio Talk Show Host  ”Welcome to the World of John Williams”

WGN 720 AM

Chicago, IL

 

Cathy Berner

Children’s Young Adult Specialist and Events Coordinator

Blue Willow Bookshop

Houston, TX

 

 

Charise Mericle Harper

Children’s book author and illustrator

Books include the “Just Grace” series, “Fashion Kitty,” “When I Grown Up,” and “The Trouble with Normal”

Mamaroneck, New York

 

John Green

Author “Looking for Alaska,” “An Abundance of Katherines,” and

New York Times Bestseller “Paper Towns”

Indianapolis, IN

 

Dana Hirt

Homemaker, listmaker, troublemaker

Chicago, IL

 

Brian Koppelman

Screenwriter/Director/Producer

Film include “Ocean’s Thirteen” (Writer) and ”Solitary Man” (Writer/Director) presently in production

New York, NY

*** KEY POSITIONS AND HOW TO APPLY ********************

 

1. Secretary of the Treasured

 

About the position:

Looking for a responsible, organized human to help manage and organize the hundreds of lovely and treasured submissions which have come in, as well as all future submissions until January 20^th deadline.  Will be entrusted with back-up copies of all submissions and with keeping them confidential.

 

How to apply: 

In 100 words or so, tell me about yourself, your organizational skills, why you would like this job, and the ingredients of your ideal sandwich.    

 

 

 2.  Secretary of Slate

 

About the position:

The job title is a nod to the ubiquitous film slate (“Take One!”)  traditionally used in filmmaking.  As Secretary of Slate, you will preside as my most senior creative advisor, collaborator and sounding board.

How to apply: 

Um… wow me?

 

3.  Supremely Excellent Judges

 

About the position:

Will appoint 9 judges to review all submissions and help decide what makes it into the final film.

 

How to apply:

Send me a list of 3-5 movies you love; 3-5 books you love;  3-5 musicians/bands you love;  3-5 websites/blogs you love; 2 or 3 of your favorite quotes; and a short paragraph about yourself and your legendary good taste.

 

 

 4. Attorney Genial

 

About the position:

A nice lawyer to assist with any legal and copyright issues that might arise with production of film.

 

How to apply:

If you are keen to help us in this arena, you have the proper experience, you have the agility to see both broad strokes and fine print,  you don’t need the billable hours, and you would approach the legal aspects of this project as innovatively  as possible, I would be privileged  to talk to you. 

 

 

 5. Press Secretary

 

About the position:

Looking for  an individual with deep and nuanced PR experience, a flair for fresh thinking, and peculiar dedication to this project.   In addition to leading the PR effort of this project and appointing your own team, you and I would work closely on, well, keeping it real.

 

How to apply:

In 100 words or so, tell me about your experience with the press, media and public relations.  Also, I’d love to hear about your most rewarding career moment thus far. 

 

 

6. Ally

 

About the position:

If named an official Ally, you will be asked to stand by the project, think good thoughts, and project good vibes.

 

How to apply:

Is your name Ally?  Yes?  Then you can be an ally!

 

 

7.  Ambassador of Lovely

 

About the position:

If you feel compelled to help spread the word about this project, we’d love to have you join the ranks as Ambassador.   This program was actually launched the end of October; there are presently 75 Ambassadors in the states and around the world, working their own little magic.

 

How to apply:

Let us know a bit about yourself and why you’d like to be an Ambassador.

 

Again, all applications should be emailed to missamykr@yahoo.com .  Thank you.  

If you need to find me,

click on over to my main cyber residence

 whoisamy.wordpress.com  

 

xo

amy 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*** In closing *********************

 

Hold on to what is good, even if it is a handful of earth.

Hold on to what you believe, even if it is a tree which stands alone.

Hold on to what you must do, even if it is a long way from here.

–Pueblo Verse