Explore "Gutta-Percha Willie" by George MacDonald on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
In the morning, Willie's head was full of his dream. How gladly would he have turned it into a reality! That was impossible -- but might he not do something towards it? He had long ago seen that those who are doomed not to realise their ideal, are just those who will not take the first step towards it. "Oh! this is such a little thing to do, it can't be any use! " they say. "And it's such a distance off what I mean, and what I should give my life to have! " They think and they say that they would give their life for it, and yet they will not give a single hearty effort. Hence they just stop where they are, or rather go back and back until they do not care a bit for the thoughts they used to think so great that they cherished them for the glory of having thought them. But even the wretched people who set their hearts on making money, begin by saving the first penny they can, and then the next and the next.
And they have their reward: they get the riches they want -- with the loss of their souls to be sure, but that they did not think of. The people on the other hand who want to be noble and good, begin by taking the first thing that comes to their hand and doing that right, and so they go on from one thing to another, growing better and better.