Welcome to The Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, for July 7th.
Today is National Deck Day. It's the perfect excuse to step outside, breathe in the summer air, and appreciate that humble platform we call a deck. Whether you're grilling burgers, sipping iced tea, or just contemplating life while staring into the trees, the deck is where outdoor relaxation meets home improvement. It’s also a reminder that good things take time—because no one ever said, “I built this entire deck on a Tuesday afternoon during my lunch break.” Deck-building, like most worthwhile things, takes planning, patience, and just enough cursing under your breath when the power drill slips. Or you spend the big bucks to get a professional to do it. Which brings me to today’s quote from Lao Tzu who once said:
“Great acts are made up of small deeds.”
Think about that while you're sipping that lemonade on the deck today. Lao Tzu might not have been talking about hammering nails or aligning planks, but the principle holds. A strong deck—and a strong life—isn’t built overnight. It’s crafted from the accumulation of small, intentional efforts. So whether you’re laying down lumber or laying down plans for the future, remember: the greatness comes from the daily, often overlooked acts. One small deed at a time.
And National Deck Day isn't necessarily about building decks its about enjoying the space you already have.
We have a little deck that we use every now and then but we have a larger patio with a pergola and giant Wisteria vine to give us some shade.
If you have a nice deck or patio then today is the day to get out there and enjoy it. And if you don't you can start a new project to build one!
And if all else fails, it is also National Dive Bar Day so that will work too as a plan B.
That's going to do it for today, I’m Andrew McGivern, signing off for now... but I'll be back tomorrow - same pod time, same pod station with another Daily Quote.