If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be... If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.
~~ Thomas Jefferson ~~
In honor of my birthday today...
The importance of birthdays is not how many you've had but rather how well you've celebrated.
Birthdays are days for reflection . . . to celebrate who you are and who you will become.
Your confidence is an important tool in life, and it's vital for you to appreciate the value you bring to the world. Cherish who you are, because there is no one else on earth who has your unique blend of sophistication, intelligence, and compassion!
Appreciate the past. Make the most of the present. Live for the future.
~~ Becky Higgins ~~
Each of us is a vital thread in another person's tapestry; our lives are woven together for a reason.
Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.
As long as we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there. You live on -- in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here.
Death ends a life, not a relationship.
People are only mean when they're threatened and that's what our culture does. That's what our economy does. Even people who have jobs are threatened because they worry about losing them. When you get threatened, you start looking out only for yourself. You start making money a god. It is all part of our culture.
Build your own little subculture. Don't disregard every rule of your community. Don't go around naked. Don't run through red lights. The little things, like these, can be obeyed. But the big things -- how we think, what we value -- those you must choose yourself. You can't let anyone or any culture or any society determine those for you.
It's the same for women not being thin enough or men not being rich enough. It's what our culture would have you believe. Don't believe it!
Step away.
I think about how often this is needed in everyday life. How I feel lonely, sometimes to the point of tears, but I don't let others see those tears come because we are not supposed to cry.
Or how I feel a surge of love for a friend but I don't say anything because I'm frozen with fear of what those words might do to the relationship.
Then at other times my approach is exactly the opposite (especially at night after the children are tucked into bed). Turn on the faucet. Wash myself with the emotion. It will help, I think. If you let the fear inside, then you have to say to yourself, "It's just fear."
Same for loneliness: you let go, let the tears flow, feel it completely, eventually say, "That was my moment of loneliness. Now I'm going to put that loneliness aside and try not to feel afraid of being lonely."
It is getting harder and harder to step away.
Do you honor your father and mother? Today is Parent's Day... a day established by Congress for the purpose of "recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in bringing up their children." If you've had a good relationship with your mom and dad, use this day as an opportunity to thank them for one important thing they did to impact your life in a positive way. If your relationship with them has been more difficult, use it as an opportunity to open up the relational door that's been closed for so long. Find something... be it ever so small...to thank them for. Forgive them if you need to... seek forgiveness if you need to.
Honor your mom and dad for who they are and for what they've done in your life.
To find what you seek in the road of life, the best proverb of all is that which says "Leave no stone unturned."
~~ Author Unknown ~~
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