H
ow do you do something great and noble with your life? One step at a time is a good way to start, according to Mrs. Charles Philipia.
She wanted to raise money for charity and didn’t have the means to do it herself. She was poor, retired and lived on a very meager income from the investments she had made during her working years. When she heard of a walk-athon to raise money for handicapped children, she approached local businesses with the proposal that they donate a certain amount for each mile she walked. Most people walked their standard 10 miles, but Mrs. Philipia went the extra mile - and then some.
This 63-year-old woman didn’t just walk through the streets of her hometown. She walked from Miami, Florida, to New York City - a distance of over 1,500 miles! She didn’t ride a bus or hitch any rides.
Reporters gathered in New York for interviews about her amazing accomplishment. When they asked how she did it, Mrs. Philipia had her answer ready.
“It doesn’t take courage to take one step at a time. And that’s all I did. I just took one step, then another and another. Step-by-step is the only way to accomplish anything, no matter how great or small the task might be.”
Mrs. Philipia was right! The most noble things ever accomplished were accomplished a little at a time.