I have been working very diligently on a perl application which make modifications to text files for a variety of other web pages. I won't bore you with the details, because we all have our own little projects going on.
What I do want to discuss is the following 'realization.' I've been working so hard on this application, and reading at least an hour (usually more) a day of nodes that have been posted on Perl Monks. It dawned on me this AM that my primary interactive source of information (Perl Monks) is actually an enormous version of what I've been building in my current project.
This realization dumbfounded me. Why didn't I notice it earlier that the interface I use to research every day is actually a large perl application? This should be obvious, however I finally reasoned that it was not.
It is common for a Initiate (1) to come to this site and make mistakes. One of the biggest mistakes though is to overlook the beautiful complexity of Perl Monks itself. We get so overwhelmed with information and the community that we forget to look at how this community exists. We couldn't even communicate without Tim Vroom's creation.

My Mediation: Sometimes we need to step back from the work that we are doing. We need to UN-focus. Absorb all that is around us. For me, what I was searching for (try to build) was right in front of me. I couldn't see the 'tree' because I was looking at the 'forest.'

I've been working with Perl for a month now. I must say that I've learned more from Perl Monks than I have from any other source. After I 'learned' the way this community operates (search first, ask questions later OR play nice with others, etc.) I've seen just how beneficial this community and environment can be. I want to thank Tim Vroom for the wonderful work that he has committed to this community.

- Mission
"Heck I don't know how to do it either, but do you think that's going to stop me?!!"

In reply to Meditation: In front of my nose by Mission

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