A Mighty Force of Slow Growth

A simple acorn isn’t much to look at, really. I used to find tons of them as a kid. The wonder that this little “nothing” could become the giant tree that produced it really didn’t hit me until I was at least 10. By then, I had my own garden, and knew full well how long it took a carrot seed to become a little carrot.
    Over the years, I’ve been involved in businesses and hobbies that proceeded much the same way. Progress is painfully slow at first, with bursts of activity and growth, followed by what appear to be plateaus. I say, “appear to be”, because underneath, things are happening which are not visible to the eye. Much like a plant sends down roots, seeking water and nourishment, ideas and endeavors need to dive down into the subconscious, the “Matrix”, the whatever-the-hell-it-is that comprises our reality.
    It’s that might force of slow growth that moves mountains. There’s this mushroom called an Ink Cap. It’s very delicate, doesn’t last more than half a day, wilting in the noonday sun. Yet the underground body of this evanescent growth can crack concrete.
    It’s the same for new ideas, businesses, creations. On the surface, they may appear to be nothing special. Underneath, they’re changing the foundations of the World as we will perceive it. Day by day, bit by bit, they grow strong enough to rock those foundations.

1. What is Squidoo? 2. What is a lens? 3. What is the meaning of life?

1. Squidoo is a social networking site. If you're familiar with MySpace, imagine it without the rowdy teenagers running amok. It's a focal point for your interests, pursuits, charitable work, pet peeves or whatever else you imagine. Each member can have as many focal points as one wishes, called lenses.

2. A lens is a focus on a given area - expertise, opinions, business, charity, etc. You can have as many lenses as you want (and have time to maintain). The lens itself is a jumping off place to websites, blogs, physical destinations, communities and so on. Here's an example: suppose you search on Google for information on a given subject. You get 2,000,000 possible links - but which ones are best? A Squidoo lens is pre-screened info on what you may be looking for. If it ain't there, maybe YOU need to fashion a lens and become the "inpert" (like an expert, but in one focus) on the subject.

3. Depends. Here are two contenders:
a. If it's a first offense, with good behavior, you're out in 10 years.
b. "The purpose of intelligent life is to shop!"