‘Ole!’ to you, just for having the sheer human love and stubbornness to keep showing up.

The line reads as a small, exuberant benediction—an “Ole!” (the bullfighting cheer) offered not for triumph or perfection but for persistence. Gilbert praises the ordinary heroism of continuing to “show up” despite fear, fatigue, or discouragement. The emphasis on “sheer human love and stubbornness” frames endurance as both tender and defiant: love keeps one connected to life and others, while stubbornness supplies the grit to continue. The quote’s significance lies in its redefinition of success as presence and commitment rather than outcome, making it a consoling rallying cry for creative work, recovery, caregiving, or any long-term endeavor.