All Of This

This is being shared and re-shared and clipped and amended.

I hope it finds the hearts and heads it needs to fill today.

I've been struggling with a lot of things lately,

and I thought maybe writing them down and putting them out into the universe

will help heal some emotional wounds of my own and maybe for some others, too.

I've learned a lot over the past few years. Some good things, some not so good things.

But, I'm sharing them all. 

No matter how good you are to some people, they will turn their backs on you.

Don't take it personally. Just keep being good to people.

You're the villain in someone's story. And that's ok.

Everyone has their truth. Stick to yours and don't try to defend yourself.

Your actions speak much louder than your words ever will.

 
No matter how nice your pictures are, some people just won't hit the like button. Because it's you.

Post anyway. Share your pictures. And, your stories. They put a smile on someone's face.

 
Not everyone has the same heart as you.

Just because you will do it for them, doesn't mean they will do it for you.

And, it's unfair to both of you to expect that.

 
You will be excluded. And, it will hurt. A lot.

You'll never understand why. But, you will remember the pain of being left out,

and you will make sure to include everyone so no one has to feel the way that you did.
Your kids (or future kids) will be excluded. And trust me, that hurts even more.

But, it's a great teachable opportunity.

 
When you put good out into the world, good comes back. 

If you are kind, kindness will flood your doorsteps.

 
Friends come and go, unfortunately. It's life.

Sometimes friendships you thought would last forever end abruptly and you're left wondering why.

Stop wondering.

You're never going to feel satisfied with any answer they give you.

Own your part in it, learn from it, and then close that door.

That chapter has ended. Allow a new one to begin.

A simple text just to see how someone is doing, can mean the world.

Just to know someone is thinking about you and cares, can turn a whole day around.

Send the text.

 
No one owes you anything.

 
Forgive even if you don't get an apology.

You can't begin to heal while you're still holding on to the hurt.

Let it hurt for a moment. Forgive, and let it go.

 
You're going to be too much for some people.

Too loud. Too opinionated. Too talkative. Too positive. Too passionate.

Those people will never get you. Find the ones who do... and love them hard!

 
People are going to talk about you. Give them good material.

 
Extend grace to those who need it. We all struggle sometimes.

 
Life is tough. It's messy. And it's ugly at times.

But, its also so beautiful. And exciting. And full of adventure. Absorb it all!

 
Be a light. Don't let anyone dull your shine.

You never know who may be looking to you for a little bit of joy. Be that joy.

And, most importantly learn to love yourself.

And forgive yourself for not being perfect. Perfect is boring.

These Three

 ...

and now these three 

remain:

faith, hope and love.

But

the greatest of these

is love.

Shhh!

I grew up with this thought process.
I so agree ...

The volume

of your voice

does not

increase the validity

of your argument.

SASS

Short And Simply Sublime:


I will never
fit in.

That's one of

my best qualities.

There are a great many people

who need to read this

and ingest it.

Your uniqueness

is extraordinary.

Why fit in

when you were born

to stand out?

Thank you, Mr. Maxwell

Love, love, love
this quote:

Sometimes you win,

sometimes you learn.

A little extra

Do not go gentle
into that good night.
Rage.

Rage against

the dying of the light.

Fight.

Fight with every ounce

of all your might.

Do.

Do the hard things,

because they're right.

Stand.

Stand against the 

egregious plight.

Choose.

Choose to create

a world that's bright.

Do not go gentle

into that good night.

Heart

Found this
calling to me.
Perhaps
someone needs to
read or see this today:

What is stronger

than the 

human heart

which shatters

over and over

and

still lives

Stirs the Soul

I was actually watching some boxing stuff
waiting on family to arrive
and on one of the intros
there was this ...
rather soul-stirring
and invigorating piece ...

kind of appropriate

at this juncture.

Invictus

by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matter not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

Magical Thing

So,
I always try
to make these blogs
as positive as can be.

Occasionally,

one must stumble

however

in the dark

before

finding the light.

It is okay

to walk away

from the things

that drain you,

that damage you,

that weaken you.

You can still

love and care and pray

for those folks

and those things,

but a little distance

can be a 

magical thing

for your

soul

and your

heart

and your

self.

Notice

Not mine,
but so worth sharing.

May you 

always be

the one

to notice

the

merciful nature

of an all-new

sunrise.

Chasing Rainbows

Chasing Rainbows
by Lyn Marinello

We've all sung the lyrics
"Red and yellow, black and white"
Simple, basic, honest truth
"We're all precious in His sight"
We can be green with envy
Or eerily white hot mad
A yellow-bellied coward
Or blue when inconsolably sad
We can be tickled pink or peachy keen
Or maybe green at the gills
You can be fiscally in the black
Or in the red with unpaid bills
The boys in blue protect us
Some dream of visiting the Emerald Isle
All that glitters is not gold
We all chase that perfect pearly white smile
You can be a shrinking violet
Or go out and paint the town red
You can follow the yellow brick road
Or be ordinary as plain white bread
You can see through rose-colored glasses
You can speak with a silver tongue
You can get caught red-handed
Think you're the black sheep when you're young
We can roll out the red carpet
If cream of the crop is entertained
Eat with the proverbial silver spoon
Grass is greener when watered and properly drained
You can surely be blue-ribbon worthy
Or maybe tell a little white lie
You can follow the golden rule
And I pray that wool won't ever dye
For purple mountain's majesty
And amber waves of grain
Such vivid illustrations
And yet just grey matter for our brain
We can be out chasing rainbows
But they're everywhere all the time
They dwell within each one of us
Beneath the grunge of societal grime
These worldly colors are beautiful
Gracing every day in which we live
Each integral and important

A most beautiful ROYGBIV

Peace

Peace.
Peace begins
within us ~
we cannot bring

to the world

what we

do not have

to offer.

This is not my quote,

but oh, 

so incredibly needed.

WCYD

Found these quotes
to truly correspond
to one another
and to mean
a great deal ...
especially
in this climate.

Ask yourself:

"What can I

control right now?"

and

When I 

stop struggling,

I float.

Terri-fic!

Saw this quote from Terri Willingham
and thought that perhaps
some people need
to read this
or be reminded of it.

I will

never fit in.

That's one

of my

best qualities.

Never Forget!

Never Forget!

Not the pain.

Not the loss.

Not the chaos.

Not the carnage.

Not the ache.

Never Forget!

Not the cohesion.

Not the solidarity.

Not the patriotism.

Not the community.

Not the unity.

Never Forget!

Ch-Angels

Hey friends!
I'm acknowledging some Ch-Angels today.
Those beings who strive
to be good, to do good,
to go beyond,
without expectation,
because it is right,

because it is 

what we were

ultimately

created to do.

And so ...

for your support,

your kindness,

your love,

your efforts

at being better humans,

thank you:

Victor, Deanna, Miles, Nicholas, Kelly,

Cal, Bill, Dan, Jim, Eric,

Susie, Billy, Donald, Lenny,

Amie, Ann, Carol, Dianna, Nancy, Norma, Wilma

and a few hundred other people.

I am better

because you exist.

God bless and keep you.

For You

Be a stronger you,
for you.
Be a kinder you,
for you.
Be a braver you,
for you.
Be a better you,
for you.

From Zelda

Zelda Fitzgerald said:

Nobody has ever measured,
not even poets,
how much
the heart can hold.

Whether it is

hurt,

love,

pain,

joy,

guilt,

pride,

breaking,

faith,

or a multitude

of other things,

your heart

is an extraordinary item -

capable of much more

than you could ever

imagine.

Change

This!
This is so powerful.
Yet, so very many people
believe that
it is in how loud they yell

or rant and rave
that their point is made.
That's sad.

The world 

is changed

by

your example

not

your opinion.

OMG This!

A wise man
once said
nothing.

The Mash

Found these two quotes
and, although they seem to come
from vastly different view points,
I think they arrive at the same spot

really quite nicely.

You either get better

or you get bitter.

It's simple.

You either take

what has been dealt to you

and allow it

to make you a better person,

or

you allow it

to tear you down.

The choice does not

belong to fate,

it belongs to you.

and

When life 

puts you in

tough situations,

don't say "Why me?".

Say, "Try me!"

Blossom

Don't know where it came from,
but I am liking this little quickie:


Water your roots
so your soul can blossom.

Everything

Note to self
(and anyone else
that needs to read it):

Everything

you need,

your courage,

strength,

compassion and love;

everything

you need

is already within you.

A Truly Extraordinary Soul

A simple lead
to a powerful quote.

Some folks are givers.

These givers

give with selflessness,

no hope of acknowledgement

or reciprocation.

Some folks are appreciative.

They have known loss,

heartache,

pain,

betrayal,

and still look

for what buoys them.

Find the giver

that looks for good,

and you've found

a truly extraordinary soul.

Expect Nothing.

Appreciate Everything.