"North of Boston," a collection of 17 poems by American poet Robert Frost, was originally published in 1914. One of those is “A Servant of Servants,” the poem where this hopeful line comes from. The lengthy poem spans 177 un-rhyming lines from the perspective of a rural housewife harried by the cooking and cleaning and caretaking of her daily life. She’s thrilled to be talking to someone new, a person camping out in the wilds near her home. And she envies his experience — a chance to connect with nature, to rest, and to recharge. She has no intention of joining this adventurer or setting out on her own to embrace the outdoors. But she has hope: She will power through and continue to care for her family and the house and the people who work her land. And, for her, for now, that hope and that stubborn determination is enough.

Known for her groundbreaking works on the topic of intersectional feminism, writer and social activist bell hooks wrote honestly and elegantly about the challenges Black women face in society. She points out here that often, marginalized people who have achieved success, fame, and influence are targeted by those who fear the change that comes from empowerment. “Not because they don’t see [your power],” she said, “but because they see it and they don’t want it to exist.”

Though Confucius lived more than 2,500 years ago, the Chinese philosopher is still famous today for his wise teachings. While Confucius’ political and cultural influence is hard to overstate, his beginnings were meager. This only further proves the point of the above quote, which reminds us that great movements often start with small steps.