Paymanism™ & Paymanisms™

Our intentions enlighten our paths.

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You are not what you do.

What you do is because of who you are.

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Only a fool will continue to expect

from someone who has no realization of any expectations.

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Don't lower your expectations just because someone can't meet them.

Find someone who can exceed them.

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Some give you inspiration, others just perspiration.

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Our most meaningful friendships are those that

surmount the deepest valleys on the way to the highest peaks.

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You can never make anyone feel what they don’t feel.

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You can never make anyone feel what you feel.

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You can help someone understand what you feel,

but don’t expect them to feel what you feel.

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Physical wounds often heal much faster than emotional ones.

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A band-aid is to a physical wound as forgiveness is to an emotional wound;

they help, but time is still necessary.

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Should we

“Forgive, and forget” or

“Forgive, then forget” or

“Forgive, to forget”?

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Is it possible to forget if you don’t forgive?

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Do we really forget after we forgive,

or just try to not remember?

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To forgive anyone,

you must first forgive yourself.

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Apologizing isn’t nearly as hard as accepting it.

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It is rather easy to apologize but quite harder to be forgiven.

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Can you accept an apology without accepting it?

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Accepting an apology doesn’t necessarily mean forgiving.

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Accepting an apology may take seconds,

but forgiveness may take a lifetime.

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You can ask someone to accept your apology,

but you can’t make someone forgive you.

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An apology, like a present,

is presented by the giver and may be accepted by the recipient.

Forgiveness, like time,

is sought by the recipient and must be given by the giver.

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Can you go from loving to just liking someone?
Why would you want to?

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True friends don’t have filters.

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True friends rise above expectations.

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True friends can hear without words.

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Relationships stem from relations,
which stem from relate,
which means to have mutual understanding and sympathy.

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Some have relationships,

others have realationships™.

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Why not put off until tomorrow what you can do today?
Because you may not be able to tomorrow.

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People don't always do what makes sense,
but act on how it makes them feel.

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Doing the right thing doesn’t always feel like the right thing because
the brain and the heart don’t always concur.

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It isn’t a coincidence that the
mouth is located between the brain and the heart.

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At the intersection of your mind and soul you’ll find peace.

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Instincts intersect the mind and the soul.

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Is it better to trust your brain, your heart, or your gut?
How often are they all in congruency?

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Rarely does anyone say:
“Go with your brain” or “ Trust your brain”
Why is that?

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After my 1st child was born, I didn’t think I wanted more than one child because I couldn’t think I could ever love anyone as much. I soon learned that with my 2nd and 3rd child, my heart had not doubled nor tripled; it had grown exponentially in a way I could have never imagined.

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Not long after your child is born,
it is hard to remember your life before
and impossible to imagine your life without.

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The biggest contribution anyone can make to society
is a child who has been loved and will pass it on.

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Its a question of mind over matter.
If you don't mind, it won't matter.

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We may not be able to choose to have a memorable day
but we can make it a remarkable day.

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Any day can be memorable,
everyday should be remarkable.

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Labeling someone will often short change you both.

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To appreciate the difference between
ordinary and extraordinary
may take a lifetime.

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As the sun sets in one place,
it rises in another.

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What would you do if you didn't have to do anything?

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We are who we think we are.

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Life is more like a mirror than a black hole.

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Kindness begets kindness.

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Laughter from the soul can often heal pain from the body.

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You can be surrounded by people and still be alone.

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Some see the glass half full.
Some see the glass half empty.
Some notice that the area around the glass is wet,
look for the leak, and fix it.

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You haven't made it until you have made it.

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Why do I want to put off until tomorow what I can do today?
Simple. Just because I can, doesn't mean I want to.

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If you can take something for granted,
could you also give something for granted?

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Some things we want, we don't need.
Some things we need, we don't want.

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Do we need to want or
do we want to need?

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How special do you have to be to feel special?

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What's so special about being special?

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Money is worthless unless it can be spent.

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Leaders create paths, followers pave them.

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The road less travelled doesn't require an express lane.
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The road less travelled doesn't need a carpool lane.

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Take care of what you care about.

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We should care about what we care about when even
they don't care about what they should care about.

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If tomorrow never comes,
will today ever go?

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Interesting:
"What do you think about my feelings?"
vs.
"How do you feel about my thinking?"

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Don't burn any bridges unless you have made a tunnel.

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Hope is what you feel when don't know what to think.

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Some things we think.
Some things we feel.
Some things we think we feel.
Some things we feel we think.

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Never allow your mind to underestimate your heart.

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Isn't it amazing what you can accept when you need to?

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Is now a good time to have a good time?

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Some leaders blaze paths,
others set paths abalze.

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Some are trail blazers,
others just blaze trails.

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Either lead or be led.

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A true leader leads even when no one is yet following.

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True leaders don't wait for followers.

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Feelings may be acknowledged but not always felt.

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Interesting thing about the heart,
it can expand as well as contract.

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If you think it is hard walking in another man's shoes,
try walking in a woman's high heels.

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The word "friends" has been overused, misused, and abused.
Isn't the word "relatives" more appropriate than "friends"?
Who are you "relatives" and who are you true friends?

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Isn't the word "relatives" more appropriate than "friends"?

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Often, when we try to be special, we just become different.
Are you special or just different?

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How can others find you more special than you may?

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We are all special, some just more or less.
What makes you special?

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If you don't think you're special,
why should anyone else?

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What's so special about being special?

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Isn't it amazing what we can accept?

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Bridges & Relationships

They connect at least two, previously disconnected, bodies.
They allow people to go where they couldn't have otherwise.
Rarely do they run in only one direction.
Some are short and others quite long.
Some are narrow and others quite wide.
Many can build them but few can build them well.
Some are plain and others beautiful and special.
Some are temporary and others are more permanent.
Some run straight while others may curve at times.
To last, they require a strong foundation.
They gain character with time and as they weather storms.
Some may take years to build but only seconds to destroy.
Some may have tolls, often quite expensive ones.
They require regular maintenance and care.
They may not always be needed but are there when you do.
Most endure long after their builder's are gone.
Many exist but only a few leave a lasting impression.

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Be predictably unpredictable.

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When you want to learn about someone,
get to know his friends.

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Life isn't predictable,
why should you be expect to be?

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Be true to yourself.
Trust yourself.
Take action.
Reap the rewards.

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Feelings can often convey messages words can't.

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We are not as young as we were a minute ago.

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Even when you walk in someone's footsteps,
you will leave your own footprints.

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Even if you wear the same size,
you can never truly understand how it is
to live a day in another man's shoes.

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You should NEVER allow ANYONE to cause you to doubt yourself.

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We all have trigger points.
Some have larger, more sensitive, more reactive ones.

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Would you rather be smart or intelligent?

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The sword can pierce through the body,
but the tongue can pierce through the soul.

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Be careful to whom you lend your ears.

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What you fear is what you feel.

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Fear immobilizes the mind long before the body.

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A truly smart warrior fights battles, not wars.

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When you really love somebody,
you'll naturally help them spread their wings
and enjoy watching them soar.
Perhaps you'll even be the wind beneath.

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Even after the darkest of nights, the sun will continue to rise.

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You cannot show someone even the obvious until they are ready to see.

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Understanding and being understood

are the basis of any relationship worth having.

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It's hard to understand why we are so often misunderstood.

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Space and time apart can often provide clarity when words can not.

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Good: Live and learn.
Better: Love and learn.
Best: Live and Love.

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Often, you don't have to state the obvious,
but sometimes it is necessary.

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Just because they don't say anything,
it doesn't mean that they don't see everything.

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Numbness isn't always abscence of pain,
sometimes it is because of it.

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People are always judging,
especially when least expected.

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An initial impression can be formed in just seconds
but will require a lifetime of validation.

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You can hear but don't have to listen.

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Expectations are no more than wishes,
unless they are expressed.

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EAR + HERE = HEAR

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How many followers are necessary to be considered a leader?

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Things are often replaceable,
people rarely are.

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Being thankful is different than saying thanks.
Saying "thanks" is extrospective.
Being "thankful" is introspective.

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Can you be thankful but not appreciative?
Can you be appreciative but not thankful?

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Being appreciative is more sincere than being thankful.

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Can you appreciate something you've never had?

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Can you appreciate something you've never felt?

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How can we know what we don't know?

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We can't know what we don't know
because we can't know what we don't know.

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What's the difference between "the facts" and "the truth"?
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You can know the facts but still not know the truth.

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The truth is independent of perspective.

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The truth is the 3rd side to a story.

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Asking someone to give is the passive-aggressive way of

taking without permission.

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Leaders create paths. Followers build roads.

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Leaders create paths on which followers build roads.

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Leaders can lead their followers as well as other leaders.
Followers can follow their leaders as well as other followers.

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What is a leader without any followers?

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What do you want?
What do you need?

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More than just words…
Wants vs. Needs
Wishes vs. Dreams
Thankfulness vs. Appreciation
Purpose vs. Intentions
Live vs. Living
Talk vs. Action
Thoughts vs. Feelings
Brain vs. Heart
Mind vs. Soul
Friend vs. Soulmate
Smile vs. Laughter
Fine vs. Great
Knowing vs. Understanding
Hearing vs. Listening
Control vs. Guide
Side vs. Beside
Alone vs. Lonely
Expectations vs. Promises
Fact vs. Expectations
Paths vs. Roads
Viewpoint vs. Perspective
PC vs. Mac
Adventure vs. Journey
Fly vs. Soar
Brave vs. Fearless
Unique vs. Rare
Unusual vs. Different
Strong vs. Independent
Light vs. Darkness
Dusk vs. Dawn
Moonlight vs. Sunlight
Anger vs. Resentment
Judge vs. Criticize
Support vs. Empower
Want vs. Expect
Resentment vs. Acceptance
Believe vs. Visualize
Give vs. Share
Take vs. Borrow
Hope vs. Dream
Feel vs. Experience
Build vs. Create
Lucky vs. Fortunate
Accident vs. Coincidence
Today vs. Now

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Footprints show where you've been,
not where you're going.

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Fingerprints show who you are,
not who you can be.

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As your intentions change, so do your paths.

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A gift is a reflection of the giver, not the receiver.

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Is it better to be compensated or reciprocated?

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Why do we tend to appreciate those we have lost
more than those we have found?

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Is darkness the abscence of light or
is light the abscence of darkness?

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Do you appreciate a gift more than something you buy for yourself? Why?

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When you take something for granted,
does it become worthless or do you become unworthy?

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Perfection is an expectation, not a goal.

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Never take away hope.

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When you expect to receive,
should you be expected to give?

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Success is an experience, not a goal.

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What's the point of living if you aren't living?

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There are no coincidences.

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If you don't believe, why should anyone else?

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Memories are stored in the brain but felt by the heart.

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Life is a collection of commas; death, just one period.

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Can you love too much?

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At the end, the only thing that matters is happiness.

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Money has value, but worthless in itself.

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Leadership cannot be self-proclaimed.

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Why is the meaning of life.

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Accept what you cannot change. It's not a choice but a fact.

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Accept what you cannot change, or inevitably suffer.

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Resentment leades to anger.

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Acceptance leades to peace.

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Why worry about what you cannot control?

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Why worry about what you cannot change?

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Better to live to learn or learn to live?
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Good question: "Why?"
Better question: "Why not?"

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Can you learn to love if you never experience it?

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If you show it, you don't have to say it.

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If you demonstrate it, you don't have to explain it.

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Just because they don't acknowledge it,
it doesn't mean they didn't feel it.

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Reciprocation is not always immediate.
In fact, reciprocation is often delayed.
That's what makes it more special.

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Don't stop planting seeds just because not every one blossoms.

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Sometimes a seed will blossom from just a ray of light.

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Don't expect flowers if you don't plant seeds.

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Seeds blossom on their own time, not yours.

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Find your passion then live it.

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Value is relative.

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Respect is earned.
Trust is built.
Love is felt.

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If there were no cracks,
through where would the light shine?

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Leaders build paths so others may follow.

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If you don't listen to your own words,
why should anyone else?

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Lead by example not by talk.

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If your friends can't appreciate you,
they are not your friends.

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You can only be who you are.
That should be more than enough for others.

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Never underestimate a true friend.

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Most think it's good to have many doors to choose from.
Few realize that the good can be appreciated
only after they have entered though one of them.

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Options are worthless without decisions.

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Why do you need so many doors if you can only enter one?

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Rarely are doors locked from the inside.

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It takes so much less effort to listen than to talk.
Why don't we listen more and talk less?

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Is the word "understand" instead of "overstand"
because in doing so, there is an inherent necessity of
standing under and uplifing in support?

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Feelings come from the heart.
Logic comes from the brain.
Isn't it amazing when the brain understands feelings?
Isn't it amazing when the heart understands logic?
Not just our own, but even more of those we care about.

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Those with whom we surround ourselves are
our reflections others see,
and the aspirations we seek.
With whom do you surround yourself? Why?
Who has chosen to be surrounded by you? Why?

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We set our worth. Others can decide our value.

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Life is an experience to be shared.

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Inspiration before Expiration.

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If your expectations often underestimate your realities,
ask yourself why and adjust accordingly.

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If eyes are windows of the soul,
tears are sometimes necessary to keep them clear.

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Let's face it, we don't really own anything. Do we?

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Why laugh at fear before killing it? It's a distraction technique.

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Better to understand or to be understood?

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The more I understand what I do know,
the more I understand what I don't know.

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Would our lives have turned out the opposite way
if we had said 'yes' every time we had said 'no',
and vice versa?

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Why is 'yes' 3 letters and 'no' only 2?

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Do we say 'no' more often than 'yes' because it is 50% shorter?

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"SAY YES" - Wouldn't it be cool if the 'A' was instead "E"

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Are we lonely when we are alone,
or alone when we are lonely?

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If you could go back and change something you regret,
would you still be who you are today?

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If you could go back and change everything you regret,
would your life be any more perfect?

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How much money would make you happy?
How much happiness would make you money?

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How much money would your time be worth if you had 60 more years to live?
How about 60 more days?
How about 60 more minutes?

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What would you do if you had 60 more years to live?
How about 60 more days?
How about 60 more minutes?

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If you had 60 more years to live, with whom would you want to share your life?
How about 60 more days?
How about 60 more minutes?

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What would you do differently if no one was watching nor would ever know?
What would you do differently if everyone was watching and would never forget?
Why?

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What one thing in your life would you like to never forget?
What one thing in your life would you like to never remember?
Why?

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What would you like to be your last thought as you peacefully go to sleep forever?
What would you like to be your last sentence?
Whose face would you like to see?
Whose hand would you like to be holding?
How realistic would these be if you were to go today?

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What would you do today if there was no tomorrow?
Why are you waiting?

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Where would you be if not here?
Why?

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What sense would you be willing to give up?
What sense would be the last you'd be willing to give up?
Why?

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If you could only see in shades of only one color, what color would it be?

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Hopes and dreams are the fuels of life.

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Spotify® - The Soundtrack of Life.™

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To be different just to be different, doesn't make a difference.

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It is good to love, better to be loved, best to be in love.

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It is one thing to be thankful,
another to say you are thankful,
and then there is showing you are thankful.

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You can't be thankful if the other person can't feel it.

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Saying sorry isn't as important as showing it.

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It's not just about saying sorry. It's also saying what you are sorry about.

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Unfortunately, often kids are dumbed down when they go to school.

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What if the oldest child went to school, t

hen came home and taught the younger child,

who then in return taught the youngest child?

We could call it "Trickle-down Education."

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What school you go to isn't as important as what you do because or despite of it.

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What we think about change is constantly changing.

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Love fear to death.™ (LoveFearToDeath.com)
Fear.
You can run from it.
You can face it.
You can laugh at it.
Or, you can love fear to death.™

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You can either run away from fear, knowing that it will keep coming back,
or you can face it, laugh at it, kill it, and bury it. Once and for all.

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If you can really see it, it is only a matter of time before it becomes reality.

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What you believe is what you'll get.

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Imagine how you would live if you treated life as a dream you have while you're awake.

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Live life as if you are dreaming while you are awake.

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Balance, more effortless as a noun than as a verb.

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Love can be given but never taken.

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A true friend is someone who was there especially when you couldn't see he was.

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Independence isn't the opposite of dependence. It is strengthened because of it.

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Seeing your side of the story is easy.
Understanding the other side is not only harder but what often makes the difference.

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If you give because you expect to receive the same,
you may be underestimating what you could be getting back.

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It is good to give.
It may be ok to take.
It is bad to take back.

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It doesn't count as giving if you take it back.

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Some give.
Some take.
Some take for granted.

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Patience is relative.

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Trust is not something you ask for. It is something you feel.

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It is not possible to keep giving without forgiving.

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In order to give, you must first forgive.

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Everyone has a story.

Not everyone feels theirs is worth sharing.

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Life is the story we are writing while we are living.

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Expectations are what we expect when we aren't sure what to expect.

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Perfection is unnatural.

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If you had never experienced pain, could you ever really appreciate happiness?

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A friend once asked me, "What one word would best describe you?"

I thought about it for several days and answered, "Fire. Fire because of all its attributes.

On one hand fire can protect you, it can give you light, it can keep you warm, it can give you energy.

On the other hand, it can burn, it can destroy, it can hurt."

As Bruce Springsteen sings, "You can't start a fire without a spark."

Being conscious of this has been helpful.

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Not knowing when or how we are going to die levels the playing field.

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The key to unconditional love is acceptance.

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The more control we have, the more control we want.
The less control we have, the less control we need.
Which gives you more freedom?

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When you are worried about something, think of the worst case scenario,

which will rarely ever actually happen.

From this perspective, it will be much easier to deal with it.

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We can play the cards we are dealt
or become the dealer and deal the cards instead.

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If you don't believe you can, you definitely won't.

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If you believe you can't, you definitely won't.

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When you say that you'll try, you have already set yourself up for failure.

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By definition, "Try" lacks commitment and determination.

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Why just try when you can do?

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If you give up on your dreams, what's left to live for?

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Excuses are what we people use to explain
why they are settling or wasting their life away.

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It is one thing say it, it is quite another thing to do it.

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When life gives you lemons instead of lemonade,
perhaps it's because you'll appreciate it more when you've made it yourself.

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To me, there is something so special to see the sunrise.
Perhaps it's the light.
Perhaps it's the heat.
Perhaps it's the energy.
Perhaps it's the potential of what's to be.
Perhaps it's knowing that so many don't appreciate it like I do.

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Death is so permanent.

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Bodies die out.
Souls live on.

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We lease our bodies.
We own our souls.

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The unexpected is the unforgettable.

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Be predictably unpredictable.

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When asked "Are you celebrating something special?" the answer is always "YES!"

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When asked "Do you know what time it is?" reply "Yes" and wait a little.

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There are no undoes in life.

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No one has ever been upset about laughing too hard.

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Crying is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of understanding.

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If the server sucks, the food will never taste good.

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Never accept anything served on a trash can lid.

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Above all, it's the experience you have felt.

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Just because you can,
doesn't mean you should.

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We live the life we live because we've lived the life we've lived.
We can live the life we want to live when we start and continue to live the life we want to live.

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No matter how irrational they may appear to you,

someone's feelings should never be judged by you because more often than not,

you are the one who didn't yet have the capacity to understand.

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As long as we live, we will dance to the beat of drums.

The question is, whose drums?

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Isn't it amazing how the same song changes as we do?

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Photography is something I have enjoyed for many years and is one of my connections to my dad, who also enjoyed and appreciated capturing a moment or snapshot of life in a non-intrusive way.

Digital photography allows me to integrate my love of photograph and digital methods of enhancing the colors of life. Each photograph I share is individually digitally manipulated, meaning by definition 'by hand,' to bring out those specific elements that I "see with my minds eye' and would like to express and share with the viewer.

Over the years, my interest in how we perceive and appreciate life and it's elements has led me to go into great depth on this area and yes, it's application to health care is unquestionably powerful. Photography is a form of meditation for me and sharing it with those who appreciate it makes it even more special to me. Life is Perception. Yet, another lesson I learned from my dad years ago that has shaped my life ever since.

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You must first accept, appreciate, and love yourself
before you can ever anyone else.

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The car accident had fractured my sternum. It hurt. Every time I sneezed, it felt as if I was being stabbed in the chest. I had at a meeting with a man I had just met. During the meeting I had to sneeze. I walked away from the table to sneeze and came back a few minutes later, with tears in my eyes. "Are you alright?," he asked. I told him about the accident and showed him a couple of pictures of it.

Half hour later, as we were leaving our meeting, the man said to me, "I know we just met a few hours ago but I feel like I've known you for years." "I feel the same way," I replied. "I need to say something to you but please understand that I mean it in only a good way," he continued. "After you showed me pictures of the accident, I couldn't help to think to myself 'what could have this man had done in his life to have earned so much credit that he and his kids walked away from such an accident with relatively so little damage'?" " I agree, I have thought about this myself," I replied. "But I have also thought about the other side, what am I intended to do that I am still here? I just hope it is at least 50/50," I continued with a smile.

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Sometimes, people come into our lives for a minute and say or do something that changes our life forever. Sometimes, they come and go without us even realizing it. Sometimes, they come out of nowhere and land on our lap but we realize that we want them to be in our lives for ever. We just can't see our life without them, as if they were there all along.

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We can spend a lifetime with someone and never truly appreciate them. We can spend a few moments with someone and never ever forget them.

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I have often explained that for me, 'loving' someone means to be WILLING to sacrifice one's needs and wants by placing those of the other in front and ahead. For me, being 'in love' with someone means DOING so - 'loving.' It is the ACT and not just the desire or INTENT - that's the difference. To ACT on 'loving' someone on a continual basis is my definition of BEING 'in love.' The wind doesn't really need to expend much energy and ACT to lift wings to soar. It is like the sun to the moon. It just does what it is supposed to do, naturally. It doesn't sacrifice its needs or wants. It just is. It ACTS with INTENT but unINTENTionally. It is what it is.

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Stress - a conflict between the brain and the heart, the mind and the soul.

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Love is a feeling, a vibration between the souls. It is chemical, electrical. Fire. Passion. Music. It is something that when cared for and nurtured, can move mountains. It is not rational because it is between hearts, often bypassing the brain. It can't be explained but needs to be felt. It can only be truly appreciated only when it has been felt. It is something that when cared for and nurtured, can move mountains. It is a spark that can light a fire, with all its attributes. It is powerful and needs to be accepted, appreciated, and respected. Many people go through life without ever feeling it. Very few are lucky enough to experience it over many lifetimes.

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"Hey sir," said the construction man, tapping me in the shoulder from behind. "Do you understand that you nearly died?" I turned around and saw a giant truck a couple of feet behind me. "The truck nearly ran over you," he continued. " I guess it wasn't my time," I said as I put on my headphones again and continued walking down the sidewalk. I stopped at the corner and looked behind. I realized what could have been. I could have been dead. Thankful I wasn't. I continued on, walking and listening to the music I had been focused on.

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We are not a coincidence.

-----

We all enter and leave life the same way. It is what we do in between that makes us different.

-----

It is one thing to want, another thing to do. Even more powerful is to want to do.

-----

We think that brain is logical and that the heart is emotional.

Isn't it ironic then that time and time again, the heart can outsmart the brain?

-----

Live fearless. Love fearless. Die Fearless.

-----

Life is Perception.

-----

The difference between being brave and being fearless is the extent of stupidity.

-----

Each day I wake up wondering what adventures lie ahead.
Each night I go to sleep appreciating those wonderful adventures are now in my head.

-----

In the big scheme of things, we are nothing. To those we love, we are everything.

-----

Death is not the opposite of life, it is the absence of life.

------

I wasn't sure if I wanted a second child because I couldn't think I could ever share the love I felt. When my second son was born, I felt that my heart had not doubled but much more. When my third son was born, I felt that my heart had not tripled but much more. Funny how the heart can more than accommodate to what the brain can't even think.

-----

I have no doubt that women are the stronger sex. It is not a coincidence that babies are born to women. The bond between a mother and her child is something that can never be between a father and his child. Perhaps it has something to do the fact that the mother has a 9-month head start, connected to the baby that is in every way a part of her. Any intelligent person born from a woman will understand.

-----

Anyone know when the 2nd "w" in "wowman" was dropped?

-----

Most people would like to die in their sleep.

The world would be so much different if even 1 percent

of them would live when they are awake.

-----

The heart already knows what the brain is trying to decide.

-----

Thinking is good. Doing is better.

-----

An idea is just an idea until it is realized.

-----

It is the difference between wanting and needing which makes all the difference.

-----

We are who we are because we've been where we've been.

-----

Just like our smartphones, we too have default settings. Some come already set. Some others set for us. Some we set for ourselves. These settings are usually triggered when certain events occur or conditions are met. They are responses, actions, our reactions, reflexes. Most people never know or realize that they even exist. Some have only seen them. Very few have actually adjusted them, turned them on or off. We can either just accept what we have been given or put a little effort and make adjustments as necessary. After all, they may be default settings but it only be our fault if we don't customize them according to our needs.

-----

Better to have have stars in one's eyes than regrets in one's heart.

-----

Some give.
Some take.
Some can give.
Some can take.
Some can't give.
Some can't take.
Some want to give.
Some want to take.
Some won't give.
Some won't take.
Some need to give.
Some need to take.
Some are given.
Some are taken.
-----

They say 'love is blind'.
It is so because the heart can always over-ride the brain when it feels what it wants.

-----

A relationship built without a strong foundation is like a skyscraper built on quicksand.
The outcome is usually obvious to those observing but often not those doing the building because they are too busy denying the inevitable.

-----

We can live the life we see only when we see the life we can live.

-----

Cast of Characters

Each day, I awake wondering who will be that day's unexpected Cast of Characters.
Each day, we all have certain scheduled events and people we have planned on seeing. There will be however, unscheduled events and unplanned people that will fill in the time between the scheduled and planned ones. These are the unexpected Cast of Characters, wildcards which serve as the spice of life. Some of them may be transient and short lived. Others may become enduring and life changing. From a young age, we have been taught the importance of scheduling and planning. Both provide anticipation for the future. It is however, the unexpcted Cast of Characters who often shape our future.
Each night, I go to sleep appreciating that day's unexpected Cast of Characters.

-----

Yesterday is today's past.
Today is tomorrow's past.
Today is yesterday's future.
Tomorrow is today's future.
Yesterday lives in the past.
Tomorrow holds the future.
Today is the present between the past and the future.

-----

We don't choose certains things in life,
just like we don't choose that the sun rises every morning.
Just because someone may choose to shut all the windows,
doors and drapes so not see the light,
it doesn't mean that the sun ceases to rise and light up the world.

-----

Water, Caterpillar, and Butterfly

Water takes the shape of its container.
Water can change by boiling it; it then even has a different name - steam.
Water can change by freezing it; it then even has a different name - ice.
Yes, you can change it but it is still water, it can go back.

A caterpillar becomes a butterfly.
A caterpillar cannot do what a butterfly can.
A butterfly cannot do what a caterpillar can.
Once it does, it cannot go back.

Water changes into steam or ice.
A caterpillar tranforms into a butterfly.
You change or transform yourself.
You can try to change somone else.
No one can tranform someone else.
You can only help somone else transform.

-----
To cross the ocean, you must first have the courage to lose sight of the shore, get into the water, and start sailing. The wind will inevitably help along the way.

-----

Visualize to Realize.

-----

I have often explained that "As long as the sun continues to rise and I'm alive, I will beat it and rise earlier. We challenge each other this way, at least until the sun wins." I am grateful that today is not yet the day when the sun has won.

-------

They say, "Life is a journey, not a destination."
Understand that sometimes others are traveling with you, and sometimes in their own vehicles, at their own speeds, along their own intended paths. Respect that you are not always the driver and that this is when you get to sit back and just enjoy the view. Once in a while glance in the rearview mirror and appreciate where you have been. Focus your energy on what's straight ahead but don't be blind to your peripheral vision. Live and BE today and each day because the ride will be over before you know it. All that remains will be your soul - what may continue to live in the hearts and minds of those you have touched.

-----

"LIFE" Defined:
IDIOT=(STUPID)X(FEARLESS)
STRESS=(UNCERTAINTY)/(CONTROL)X(FEAR)
HAPPINESS=(BEING)X(APPRECIATION)X(SHARING)X(ACCOMPLISHMENT)/(STRESS)
FEAR=(STRESS)X(IGNORANCE)/(DRIVE)/(STRENGTH)
LOVE=(GIVING)X(RECEIVING)X(HAPPINESS)X("SPECIAL SAUCE")
LIFE=(LOVE)/(FEAR)

-----

Somethings are meant to be; somethings we make to be.

-----

We should focus on what we have rather than on what we want.

-----

It is what it is. Right? It doesn't mean anything but it means everything.

-----

Life Canvases

In 2005, Steve Jobs made a now very famous commencement speech at Stanford. In it, he talks about “connecting the dots” in life and how certain events in one’s life lead to another and that we can sometimes connect the dots only when we look back. This has always resonated with me, especially since it is also what my dad would often say.

A few months ago, I was talking about this with one my friends and her daughter who had recently graduated from college. During our conversation, I pointed out that just like a children’s connect-the-dots book with usually 10 or 20 dots on a page, when we are young, our life canvases don’t have too many dots. You connect the 20 or so dots and get simple images like a star or a duck. As we get older, or as some of my friends say, “have more life experiences,” we tend to have more dots, which produce more complex, detailed mages. Like not only a duck or a star, but perhaps a duck floating on a pond in a beautiful forest under a sky full of stars.

These dots, representing important events in one’s life, are not just dependent on our age but also on our “life experiences.” The richer our life experiences, the more dots, and hence the higher the detail we will have on our Life Canvas. It is like standing very close to a digital screen or a painting. Up close, you notice a whole bunch of tiny dots but only when you step back, broaden and change your perspective, you'll “see” the dots as a collection. This is when you actually appreciate the true beauty of the entire image. So what is the “make to be” here? Color. On the Life Canvas, black and white dots are events that happen “to” a person, usually not under the control of the person. The color dots, however, are events that a person has allowed, chosen, or wanted to happen. The colored dots are “Make To Be.” Yes, all life canvases will inevitably have some black and white dots but hopefully they are overshadowed by many more bright colorful dots and even more colorful strokes. Yes, strokes. Strokes that are much more deliberate, enduring, emotional and thoughtful than dots.

-----

It is one thing to see the dots looking back.
It is quite another to be able to see where to place them while in the moment.

-----

Most can see the dots looking back, and some can even connect them.
Few can to see where to place them looking ahead.

-----
Music, those with lyrics and even those without, add an emotional complexity that words alone can't. Live music performances and music videos, because of the added satisfaction of our desire for visual senses, give music that extra dimension. As a photo can communicate a thousand words, music can share emotions that simply can't be expressed otherwise. Dancing, by extension, is a mutually responsive action that can often create a more intimate and physical extension of this.

-----

Fighting change is like swimming upstream; you can do it but you might as well save your energy for things really worth the effort. Like salmon spawning. They train their entire lives and save their energy for that final swim upstream to pass on their genes.

-----

Sometimes we are who we are.

Sometimes we are who we need to be.

It is great when they are congruent.

-----
Ideas are thoughts. Implementation of ideas are what makes them reality and at times unique.

-----

You live the life you dream and perceive. So why not dream and perceive the best life imaginable? Don't you deserve it and owe it to yourself?

-----

It takes both people to nurture a great relationship, but just one to destroy it.

-----

The famous line is: 'The more you give, the more you receive.'

I have learned something slightly different:

The more you give, the more you'll have to give.

The more you'll have to give, the more you'll want to give...

Until it goes unappreciated for too long.

Then you'll find someone else to who to give;

someone who'll show and appreciate it by giving back.

This is the meaning of a true relationship worth having.

-----

Doors and windows are always there. Sometimes they are too close by for us to see them; taking a few steps back to look from a different and broader perspective helps us see what may have been there all along.

-----

Some doors are wide open and some doors are closed but unlocked. The only way to know is to care enough to turn the handle to open it. That being said, it is one thing to see a door, it's quite another thing to choose to go through it, and even more to be capable to appreciate the journey it promises. I have no doubt that you are not only capable to but will appreciate the journey. The journey will inevitably lead to more doors.

-----

Yes, there are some people who have the ability to learn from other people's experiences and others who don't. The people that do, have a distinct, rare advantage.

-----

Don't just think outside the box, live without it. It's more interesting seeing from the outside, looking in. Like an aquarium.

-----

"Realizations..."
Tear down the walls.
Release your fears.
See open doors and enter.
Travel light.
Allow the good in.
Deflect the ordinary.
Expect the extraordinary.
Look into the eyes and see the soul.
Beam from within.
Refract the light.
Notice the colors.
Splash paint on blank pages.
Wear beautiful nail polish.
Listen between the verses.
Savor the moments.
Give and receive.
Help and accept help.
Thank often and sincerely.
Always look up.
Fly over the hills.
Soar with the wind beneath.
Dream of rainbows.
Chase the rainbows.
Enjoy the flight.
Dance in the rain.
Rise before the sun.
Jump in the puddles.
Seek the best.
Learn from mistakes.
Accept challenges.
Challenge the status quo.
Ask why.
Laugh out loud.
Make your siren's call.
Sing all you want.
Feed the soul.
Enjoy dessert.
Hold hands.
Reset your default settings.
Choose the way you perceive.
Believe and you will see.
Hold on to what you believe.
Act on your beliefs.
Welcome your cast of characters.
Realize others as they can be.
Accept others as they are.
Remember yesterday.
Live today.
Greet tomorrow.
Invite love in.
Never settle.
Live with passion.
Appreciate who you are.
Be your own gold standard.
Be who you want be.
Live the life you want to live.
Surround yourself with those you love.
Appreciate what you have before you seek what you want.
Remain true to who are.
View yourself from a 3rd person's perspective.
Stay lucky.
Embrace destiny.
Share with those you love.
Connect the dots.
Pay it forward.
Inspire and grow.
See where you are placing the dots.
Kill fear.
Dream like you'll never wake up.
Wake up and live your dreams.
First you must believe, before anyone else can.
Embrace the imperfections.
Live with fire.
Decide from the heart; the head will come around.
Paint with colorful dots and emphasize the strokes.
Rest in peace.

-----

BESIDE every successful man, there is at least one amazing, extraordinary woman.
-----

Enjoy the beauty of imperfection.

-----

When you slam a door hard enough, another is bound to open.

Paymanism.com & Paymanisms.com

Paymanism™ & Paymanisms™

are trademarks of Payman Pirnazar

and are compilations of some of his

thoughts, stories, and beliefs.

Being incapable is quite different than being unable.

-----

Some are disinterested, some are unable, others are just incapable.

-----

Often we hear that it is impolite to stare.

This usually stems from a social and cultural perspective.

However, staring is the physical expression of an unusually

long interval during which the brain is repeatedly

searching within itself but is not successful in establishing

a connection between what is being seen and

what already exists in its data banks.

Next time someone is staring,

consider that it may not be an expression of impoliteness but rather of

inexperience, the unknown, or the uniqueness of what is being presented.

-----

It's best to take your focus off of someone's disabilities and instead

appreciate and nurture their abilities.

-----

To truly understand someone,

you must be willing to learn and speak their language rather than

expecting them to learn and speak yours.

-----

When two people are baking together,

they cannot just add each of their recipes together

and still expect to make a delicious cake.

You can often mix the ingredients together but rarely just add the recipes.

-----

Lyrics is to music as love is to life.

-----

Normal by definition requires conformity.

-----

The opposite of normal is deviant.

-----

Normal is always relative.

-----

Deviance can have extremes,

normalcy is always somewhere in between.

-----

In a perfect world, things would be ideal.

In an ideal world, things won't be perfect.

-----

Is it better to be normal or average?

-----

Mediocrity is the normal expectation from an average person.

-----

Normal is often subjective,

average is rather objective.

-----

The norm is relative and constantly changing,

so must your perspective.

------

When you care for a bird with a broken wing and help it heal and again take flight,

will it be thankful even though it may not be able to say or show it?

Why should it matter to you?

How would you feel as it soars away,

knowing it may never need you to care for it ever again?

Would you appreciate the time you had spent together,

rather than just keep wishing you had had more time? Would it be enought?

-----

We dream what we wish to realize,

but we must first realize what we wish to dream.

----

Dancing doesn't require music,

just as living doesn't require love.

----

Is love forever or for ever?

-----

Would you prefer whispers in the dark or

winks across a crowded room?

-----

White blank pages are tomorrows yet to be lived and

await stories to be written and shared.

-----

Pick at the seams long enough and

you're bound to unravel the stitching.

-----

Love can make you blind to what you see in the mirror and

deaf to what you hear in your head.

-----

Regrets are the untamed ghosts that haunt your head.

It is far better not to have them than to try to tame them.

-----

Desires are fires from within the soul which may be contained

but should never be smoldered.

-----

Although everyone wants to follow the leader,

it is inevitable that a follower will sooner or later become the leader.

-----
We are often given choices but tend to make decisions

with the intention of minimizing future regrets.

-----

How boring would it be if we all had the same taste.

-----

If you are truly doing something for someone else,

do so in the way that they will appreciate it,

even though it may not necessarily be the same as yours.

-----

A true gift should be what the recipient will appreciate, not necessarily the giver.

-----

There is a new restaurant in town. Your friend can't stop talking about it. Their steak is the most delicious steak he has ever had in his life. You wait two month for your reservation and order the steak. You are having a great time with your friends at your table, drinking wine, and reminiscing about your college years. You see the waiter walking to your table. You can smell it. Everyone can smell it. The eyes of everyone at the table are following the waiter as he comes over and stops next to you. Everyone is watching with anticipation. The waiter puts your order in front of you, with a plate cover over it. You can smell it. The smell is unbelievable. Your mouth is watering. This is it, the amazing steak you've heard so much about and waited two months for. You and everyone else at the table are fixated on it as the waiter lifts up the cover. You hear everyone at the table gasp. There it is, the juiciest steak you have ever seen, served on a round metal trashcan lid!

Now, how much do you want to even taste a bite of the steak?

Will you even try it?

Should you ever accept a steak served on a trashcan lid?

How often have you served one?

-----

Stocking a lake with fish still doesn't guarantee that you'll catch any.

-----

If you catch a fish and throw it back,

does it still count as having caught one?

-----

Don't count your fish until they are on your plate.

-----

Some aspirations require just a little inspiration,

others much perspiration.

-----

Never underestimate the impact of presentation.

-----

Expect nothing and nothing will not disappoint.

-----

Nothing will disappoint when you expect nothing.

-----

Trust is the root of all relationships.

-----

How many times do you need to be told that

you are special until you believe it?
How many times do you need to be told that

you are not special until you believe it?

------

Life gives us choices,

our decisions define our life.

-----

Give an orange tree water and sunshine,

and in time it will give you oranges.

Give a rose bush water and sunshine,

and in time it will give you roses.

Why do some people grow oranges and others roses?

Can't some people grow both?

------

Life is like a rose bush.

------

The more you learn,

the more the clear-cut become ambiguous.

-----

Is it better to be irrationally rational or

rationally irrational?

-----

What is something

everyone wants but no one can give nor take,

can't be bought or sold but can be earned,

may take years to build but seconds to destroy,

and once lost may never be regained?

-----

The heart is the spark plug for the brain.

The brain is the circuit breaker for the heart.

-----

Even the heart has a capacity limit for receiving love.

-----

Sometimes experiences undermine expectations.
Often expectations undermine experiences.

-----

Believe & Experience

What we believe are our beliefs.
What we have experienced are our experiences.

What we believe, we will experience.
We will experience what we believe.
What we experience, we will believe.
We will believe what we experience.

When we believe, we will experience.
We will experience when we believe.
When we experience, we will believe.
We will believe when we experience.

Why we believe is because we have experience.
Why we will experience is because we believe.
Why we experience Is because we have believed.
Why we will believe is because we have experienced.

-----

Experiences may be shared but

must be experienced to be truly appreciated.

-----

Experiences are experienced best without prior experiences.

-----

Life is a story, who's writing yours?

-----

Life is a movie, not a photo.

-----

Your life is your movie.

You can be the Writer yourself or let others co-Write with you.

You can be the Director and the Producer

but don't get to choose the start, the ending, nor the length..

You can find others to fund it or or do it yourself.

It may be in color, black & white, or even IMAX®.

You can use a single camera or multiple ones.

You can keep it simple or add special effects.

You may have a theme throughout or jump from scene to scene.

It can be straight forward or contain twists and turns.

You can choose to film inside a sound stage, outside in nature, or both.

You can choose many of the cast of characters,

but realize there may be many unexpected extras, cameo and guest appearances.

You may choose to have flashbacks or sometimes even have foreshadowing.

You may be able to choose the lenght of the scenes, their soundtracks,

if they have laugh tracks, and what scenes are cut out of the final movie.

You can choose the scene transitions.

You can choose to share it or lock it in a vault.

You can choose the distribution channels,

but not how long and how often it will be shown.

You can give it a title, but others may label it.

Others may critique it, but only you can truly appreciate it.

Others may relate to it, but only you have lived and experienced it.

Others may pay to watch it, but only you have paid the price to make it.

It may or may not have sequels.

-----

Life is a movie.

Who's writing and directing yours?

Who are your cast of characters?

Who will be listed towards the top of the credits?

What's on your soundtrack?

Will it be for the movie theather, TV, or internet streaming?

Will anyone care enough to see it?

Would you later watch it yourself?

Whose movie will share scenes with yours?

-----

Taking pride in what you do is a measure of your own worth,

not what others may or may not appreciate.

-----

Failure is often judged by others.

Success can often only be determined by oneself.

-----

Empty promises are more disappointing than unmet expectations.

-----

What you think is rarely as impactful to others as it may be to you.

So especially when you post comments online,

realize that they are more often like

raindrops falling onto the ocean and rarely like

the Sun's rays shining onto the Earth.

-----

Unreliability is inability of will.

-----

Unreliability is often more costly than any short-term savings.

-----

Unreliable, worthless.

-----

Lend a man money, you'll earn interest.

Invest in a man's dreams, you'll earn dividends.

-----

Your ideas will go unappreciated as long as they just exist inside your own head.

-----

Ideas are just ideas unless they are realized.

-----

Ideas cannot be truly appreciated until they become part of another’s life.

-----

What you think you do, and what you do

aren’t always congruent.

-----

While sugar can sweeten what may have been sour,

no amount of sugar can make sweet what is bitter.

-----

You will often lose what you have taken for granted for far too long.

-----

You will often not know what you’ve taken for granted until it is too late.

-----

Can you lose something or someone that you never truly appreciated?

-----

Your intentions can’t be clear until you know what you want.

-----

It's about Time...

You can share it or have it to yourself.
You can give it or receive it.
You can offer it or have it taken from you.
You can lose track of it or find it.
You can charge for it or donate it.
You can enjoy it or worry about it.
You can earn it or spend it.
You can cherish it, invest it, or waste it.
You can live it up or kill it.
You can fight against it or have it on your side.
You can put it behind you or be ahead of it.
You can take it out before yours is out.
You can look forward to it but can't turn it back.
You can save it but may never get to use it.
You can be with those worthy of yours, or do things that will just be a waste of it.

You can take advantage of it or wish for more of it.
You can embrace it or watch it pass by.
You can have too much of it but never enough of it.
You can appreciate it or take it for granted.
You can do so much while you have it, but

you can't do anything when you are out of it.

-----

Invest your time with those you appreciate.
Spend your time with those who appreciate you.
Don't waste your time with those who can't appreciate.

-----

Funny thing about sharing,

you get to give and receive without really losing anything.

-----

You may lose something when you give or something is taken,

but have much to gain when you share.

-----

While many spend a lifetime searching for the meaning of life,

consider spending just a fraction of your time appreciating the meanings in life.

-----

There are often many meanings in life,

some subtle and appreciated by a few and

others quite obvious but still taken for granted by most.

-----

While you are busy searching for the meaning of life,

make sure your don't overlook the meanings in life.

-----

When you have closed your eyes, you won't see.
When you have closed your ears, you won't hear.
When you have closed your mouth, you won't speak.
When you have closed your heart, you won't feel.

-----

When you have closed your mouth, your mind can't speak.
When you have closed your heart, your soul can't speak.

-----

To save a tree, you sometimes have to sever a limb.

-----

Roots do so much more than to just keep grounded.

-----

Some have long and deep roots which enable them to stand head and shoulders above others.

-----

A wise man who is intelligent understands when to be clever rather than just smart.

-----

Much less energy is expended to soar than to fly,

but one must first fly.

-----

The energy saved when soaring rather than flying can be applied otherwise.

-----

Whether we fly or soar, sooner or later we must all land.

-----

Flying takes effort while soaring is relatively effortless.

-----

To soar, you must first fly.

-----

Flying is more active than soaring.

-----

Beginnings and Endings.

Starts and Finishes.
Sunrises and Sunsets.

Days and Nights.

Hope and Fear.
Life and Death.

-----

As the sunrise brings hope,

the sunset leaves memories.

-----

Between sunrise and sunset is life.

-----

Live life alive.

-----

From a bird's-eye view,

some things appear and other things disappear.

-----

From a bird's-eye view,

not many things seem too large to grasp or to handle.

-----

Why look down and focus on the dirt when you can

look up to see the sun, the moon, and the stars?

-----

Why look down and focus on the dirt when you can

look up and reach for the sky?

-----

Although man consists mostly of water,

it's the fire within him that often quenches his thirst.

-----

It's not lonely at the top unless you've left everyone below.

-----

It's not lonely at the top unless you've stepped on everyone below.

-----

It's not lonely at the top unless you're standing on the shoulders of others.

-----

How can you not be heads and shoulders above the rest when

you're standing on the shoulders of others?

-----

It's may not feel lonely at the top until you look below.

-----

Would you feel lonely at the top if you were standing there alone?

-----

Sometimes it is better to be next than to be first.

-----

Often, being second doesn't feel as good as being next.

-----

There is always a first time but not always a next time.

-----

Is it better to be next to someone, or to have someone be next to you?

-----

Next time won't be the first time.

-----

First signifies accomplishment, next signifies hope.

-----

You must first understand and accept yourself

before you should expect anyone else to.

-----

The truly successful man needs not anyone's praise.

-----

The truly content man can get from within what others are without.

-----

You must first find peace inside before you can ever achieve it outside.

-----

The truly independent man can provide for himself what others seek from others.

-----

Kindness isn't something you must show,

it's something others must feel.

-----

You shouldn't need to prove anything to anyone except to yourself.

-----

You can't rekindle a relationship that had no fire.

-----

A fire once started within can blaze a path others had once been without.

-----

Not long after a fire has been contained, it will burn out.

-----

Just like our successes,

our mistakes are proof of

what we have tried rather than just having sat back.

-----

Words have meanings, choose them carefully.

-----

Children will learn from what they will listen, see, and feel.

-----

What we do and what we don’t do reveal the character of who we are.

-----

Although it may always be calm before a storm,

it is most helpful to remain calm during one.

-----

When it is the darkest, know that the dawn is just around the corner.

-----

We may sometimes not remember but we rarely forget.

-----

People may not always remember what you have said to them, but

rarely forget what you have done for them, and

will never forget how you made them feel.

-----

At times when you cannot find a way, just step back to find the way.

-----

To willfully do nothing is to take all the responsibility.

-----

When you are lost is when you must believe.

-----

When its dark, even a flickering candle can shed a light on it.

-----

You can focus on the crack on the wall or

on the light that shines through it.

-----

You can be concerned about the crack on the wall or

appreciate the light that shines through it.

-----

We can care for, or be cared for.

We can take care of, or be taken care of.

We can care about, or we can be cared about.

We can care if we care to care.

-----

Somehow we many not always know what’s right but

we most often know what’s wrong.

-----

See the good in the eyes,

feel the warmth in the heart,

behold the kindness in the hands.

-----

Some think about differences, others think different.

-----

Some focus on differences, others make a difference..

-----

Most people are content being content.

-----

What you think about yourself is the starting point of

what others think about you.

-----

What you say to yourself is the often what others hear.

-----

Our dreams create our paths,

our intentions light up our routes,

our actions drive our journey.

-----

Is it possible to truly appreciate what we don't believe we deserve?

-----

Like a body without water,

the soul without love will thirst but

with too much can also suffocate.

-----

The difference in knowing

the right thing to do and

the wrong thing to do

is experience.

-----

An experience is something you have to experience to experience.

-----

An experience, even when shared, is still personal.

-----

We often experience what we experience based on

what we have experienced before we had any experience.

-----

Anyone with experience understands that

past experiences influence present experiences

which will influence future experiences.

-----

Yesterday's experiences shape who we are today and

what we'll experience tomorrow.

-----

When we lack experience,

we often overthink what we have not yet experienced.

-----

Certain assumptions are made when making assumptions about what we assume.

-----

Giving up something that doesn't have a true worth to you isn't making a sacrifice.

-----

A sacrifice inherently involves giving

with the anticipation but without the expectation of receiving.

-----

Don't sacrifice anything because you expect something.

-----

Sacrificing anything with the expectation of something

may leave you with the gain of nothing and

the loss of everything.

-----

When you sacrifice everything because you expect something,

you'll often get something that isn't worth anything.

-----

A sacrifice requires a definite loss with the assumption of a potential gain.

-----

We sometimes get what we want,

we sometimes get what we need,

we always get what we believe we deserve.

-----

The difference between the optimist and the pessimist is hope.

-----

The realist thinks about what seems as reality,
the idealist thinks about what seems as perfection,
the optimist thinks about what seems as possible,
the pessimist thinks about what seems as impossible,
the leader doesn’t think about what seems but about what is.

-----

When appreciate who we have while we have them,

we will forever have them in our minds and hearts.

-----

Sometimes there is a delay between when we give and when we receive.

When this is in reciprocation, what is felt during the delay is the

differentiation between anticipation and expectation.

-----

Sometimes when you give and give,

you may not be immediately or directly reciprocated but instead will

often receive indirectly when it is most timely.

-----

Throughout history,

man has first seen with the mind's eye

long before creating the tools to see with his own eyes.

-----

The mind's eye often sees long before it is possible for your own.

-----

The mind's eye often sees what is possible long before your own can.

-----

Everyone understands that seeing is believing,

not everyone is aware that believing is seeing.

-----

Believing is seeing.

-----

Believe to see.

-----

Life is like a movie.

They often have a story to be told regardless of whether or not they are heard.
They consist of a set of cast of characters, but usually with only a few supporting and even fewer leading men and women.
Some characters are present in just a few scenes, some for the entirety.
Some have many scenes, others just a few.
Some are silent and others have resonating soundtracks.
They often have unexpected twists and turns which make them unpredictable.
They can be observed from many different perspectives, but are often presented by the director's point of view.
They are often judged by those who could have never done better.
Viewers may see what is displayed but may never understand the behind-the-scenes.
They are usually most appreciated when shared.
They may be of different durations but some of the most enduring are relatively short.
Some are soon forgotten and others are timeless.
Some are overhyped and others underrated.
Some leave you happy and others leave you sad.
Some just kill time and others change lives.
Some keep you at the edge of your seat and others bore you to death.
Countless are in existence but only a few are impactful.
They can be described but must be experienced to be truly appreciated.
They are often remembered and talked about long after they are over.

-----

You may not be able to control who enters and leaves your life but

you can control who you keep to share in your life.

-----

Living the life you've always dreamed is the only way to share that dream.

-----

Loving like you'll never love again is the only way to truly love who you love.

-----

Success is relatively subjective.

-----

A dream realized is no longer a dream.

-----

Share your wealth until you don't have your health.

-----

Dream to visualize to realize.

-----

People may not always realize what they have taken but

will never forget the kindness you have given.

-----

People may not always realize when you are being kind but

will never forget the kindness they have felt.

-----

One can act kindly but kindness can only be felt by the recipient.

-----

Love as you live, live as you love, or just leave.

-----

Our bodies are temporary homes leased out by our souls.

Take care of the body but care for the soul.

-----

The wounded body often heals in time;

the soul often scars timelessly.

-----

Bodies house the soul but not all houses are homes.

-----

Offering one's body may be a great gift,

but offering one's soul is the greatest sacrifice.

-----

Feed the mind, nourish the soul.

-----

A free soul requires a free mind.

-----

A flame that has lost its glow can still provide warmth and shelter but is it still a flame?

-----

When you give something of value but it goes unappreciated, it may lose its worth.

When you continue to give something of value and it continues to go unappreciated,

you will continue to lose your worth.

-----

Instead of focusing on everything that could go wrong,

appreciate everything that has gone right.

-----

A pessimist considers everything that could go wrong.
An optimist appreciates everything that has gone right.

-----

Considering everything that could go wrong,

isn't it comforting to know that it usually doesn't?

-----

Life can change in just a second or two.

By taking just a second or two before responding,

you can greatly affect this change.

-----

Free the mind, free the soul.

-----

We rarely choose who we love.

-----

When you give,

often they will acknowledge it by saying,

"Thank you."

When they take,

often you can acknowledge it by saying,

"You're welcome."

-----

Don't expect to be given what you can't return.

-----

Even when you stand behind a selfish man and

hold a mirror in front of him,

he will often still see only himself.

-----

When you live at a beach house,

you sometimes forget what it took to get there

and what you still need to do to stay there.

------

Often you need to step back to truly appreciate a painting rather than

focusing on what may up close seem as random brush strokes.

------

When you are too busy looking,

you often overlook.

-----

Either be cruel or be kind.

Don't be cruel to be kind.

-----

Only a fool will continue to give more once he realizes he's been taken for far too long.

-----

The most unkindness cut of all is often from those we loved the most.

-----

An old friend is like an old shoe...
We often remember when we first saw them.
Often something attracted us to them.
We chose them because they were a good fit.
They have many stories of where they've been with us.
They have protected and taken care of us and will do so as long as we have them.
We could share them with others but it will never be the same fit.
They help us weather the storms.
They have picked us up when we are feeling down, and have made us feel better about ourselves.
They often have been there with us during special times in our lives.
They have withstood the test of time.
Don't use them for too long and they may no longer be comfortable.
'They don't make them like they used to.'
We often store them away, thnking that they still be there when we need them.
They have taken us further than we could have gone without them.
We can find new ones but can never really replace them.
They are often more comfortable than new ones.
We may forget about them but don't want lose them.
We choose to keep them around because we want to.
If you want them to last, you could use them but shouldn't abuse them.
We may have many of them but they are each unique and special in their own way.
They usually don't disappear unless they are discarded.

If we don't care for them, they won't stay very long.
If we don't take care of them, they won't last very long.

-----

It's better to throw away a light bulb that is flickering before it burns out and leaves you in the dark.

-----

If you blow out a candle before it has totally burned out, you may still have something left behind as a souvenir.

-----

After a candle has melted, we are left with the wax remains of a flame that had once lit up a room.

-----

Sometimes we choose to blow out a candle, even if leaves us in the dark.

-----

Sometimes we must blow out a candle to turn on the lights.

-----

Just a gentle breeze is all that it takes to blow out a flickering candle.

-----

Just a drop of water can put out a candle.

-----

A drop of water can put out a candle but millions of gallons of water may not be able to put out a fire.

-----

A single candle is enough to light up an entire room or burn down an entire home.

-----

You may be able to relight a used candle but not a used matchstick.

-----

Sometimes an entire matchbook still can't light up a single candle.

-----

It is not possible to light a wet candle.

-----

A wet candle needs time to dry before it can be lit.

-----

Man & Fire

Both need oxygen to breathe and air to live.
Both can give energy or suck the air out of the room.
Both can light up a room or burn it down.
Both may be contained or can get out of hand.
Both need time and space to grow.
Both can burn, burn within, or burn out.
Both can protect or destroy.
Both can provide warmth or leave you burnt.
Both can be a companion or your worst foe.
Both can brighten up your day or leave you in the dark.
Both can be a source of light and take away the darkness.
One needs water to live and the other, water will kill.
Both will eventually die but leave remains of what once was.

-----

Deciding not to do anything is not the same as not doing anything.

-----

Deciding not to do something is just as valid as doing something.

------

Deciding not to do something is actually doing something.

-----

Character is based on

who you are and what you do

when no one else is around or would ever know.

-----

We can see what we want to see.

We can hear what we want to hear.

We can't necessarily feel what we want to feel.

-----

We see, hear, taste, and smell with our brain.

We feel with our heart.

Someone can only touch our heart.

-----

The brain may often try to justify

what the heart may never be able to.

-----

Very few things in life are objective,

most things in life are subjective.

-----

Most birds fly,

not all birds soar.

-----

You can fly against, with, without the wind but

can't soar without the wind beneath.

-----

It's often easier to soar than to fly with a broken wing.

-----

You may not be able to fly with a broken wing but

you could still soar with the wind beneath.

-----

Respect, trust, kindness, loyalty, and love

can be given and shown but

can't be taken nor demanded.

-----

Respect, trust, kindness, loyalty, and love start with you.

-----

Respect, trust, kindness, loyalty, and love

must be felt and not just heard.

-----

Words are fleeting,

feelings are timeless.

-----

When sitting in the dark,

sometimes all you need is for someone to turn on the light.

Even if that someone is you.

-----

If you've been blind and have never seen the light,

would you know when you're sitting in the dark?

-----

Funny thing about darkness,

just one ray of light will destroy it.

-----

As long as there is a crack in the wall,

light can cut through the darkness.

-----

Hope is a ray of light shining through a crack in the wall

of an otherwise dark room.

-----

If there were no cracks in the wall, how could light enter?

-----

When is too much too much and not enough just enough?

-----

As the gap between perception and reality increases so does rationalization.

-----

Rationalization fills the void between perception and reality.

-----

Tolerance is proportional to experience and understanding.

-----

What you fear will always return unless you kill it.

-----

Face your fears or face the consequences.

-----

Fear is all in the mind.

-----

Fear lives in the mind but kills the soul.

-----

The fear you have in mind is all in your mind.

So, never mind your fears.

-----

Befriending your fears may be smarter than treating it as an enemy.

-----

Outwit your fears.

-----

We fear what we fear, so don't.

-----

We attempt to justify what we cannot change.

-----

There is no good or bad time; when it's time, it's time.

-----

Dream not and achieve nothing.
Dream small and achieve something.
Dream big and achieve something extraordinary.

-----

It’s always about time,

-----

Best to have time on your side rather than in front or behind you.

-----

In time, you’ll see.
In time, you’ll care.
In time, you’ll grow.
In time, you’ll forget.
In time, you’ll forgive.
In time, you’ll realize.
In time, you’ll understand.
In time, you’ll learn.
In time, you’ll heal.
In time, you’ll laugh.
In time, you’ll give.
In time, you’ll look back.
In time, you’ll appreciate.
In time, you’ll live.
In time, you’ll be.
In time, you’ll die and be out of time.

-----

How much is time worth for you?
How much is your time worth?

-----

Time...
You can offer it or accept it.
You can receive it, give it, ask for it, or even take it.
You can keep it to yourself or share it.
You can spend it but can't save it.
You can buy it, rent it, or sell it.
You can donate it or charge for it.
You can lend or borrow it.
You can count on it but can’t expect it.
You can waste it or treasure it.
You can complain about it or relish it.
You can fight it or embrace it.
You can accept it or deny it.
You can take it for granted or appreciate it.
You can run with it or watch it run by.
You can look forward to it or look back on it.
You can think about it or not think about it.
You can remember it or forget it.
You can cherish it or ignore it.
You can lose track of it or record it.
You can lose it and may never find it.

You can have it on your side or fight against it.
You can go with it, watch it go by, or wonder where it’s gone.
You can have a little of it but can never have too much of it.
You can think that there will always be more of it or stop thinking so much about it and enjoy it.
You can ask for more of it, but may not receive it.

-----

It only takes one drop to start a ripple.

-----

You will often lose what you don't feel you deserve.

------

Whether it is the worst day or the best day of your life, it is still 24 hours.

------

Space and time may strengthen relationships,

distance and lack of time often weaken them.

-----

Take for granted long enough and you may not realize when you have lost it.

-----

A tree that rises high above others requires

roots that reach further than others.

-----

At what point do we go from receiving to taking?

-----

There is more hope in anticipation than expectation.

-----

You can receive as long as you are given,

but may lose it all when someone feels taken.

-----

It is often more fruitful to nurture a tree than to constantly plant new seeds.

-----

Don't expect any fruit if you don't plant any seeds.

-----

Don't expect any fruit if you don't water the tree.

-----

From seeds come fruit, within which we find often more seeds.

-----

Trees & Relationships

Both can start growing only after the seeds have been planted.
Both require much time to grow but very little time to die.
Both require regular care to endure but often grow faster and stronger when given more attention.
Some are short and some are long.
Both require time and space to grow.
Often many seeds need to be planted for a few to grow.
Both often branch out as they grow.
Both can be damaged or ruined by people around them.
Some stand tall above the others around them.
Both may grow in the most unusual places.
Both may flourish in the most unexpected circumstances.
Both require strong roots to weather the storms.
Both can have periods of stunted growth or rapid development.
Both often need to bend so they don't break.
Some may bear fruit and others poison.
Some can be fruitless, but still be beautiful and meaningful.
Both mean more to themselves than to others.
Both will be missed by those for whom they have provided shade and shelter.

-----

Whispers Of The Mind

-----

Life sometimes brings two previously parallel paths to an intersection at which they will either cross or go forward in an unparalleled way as one.

Either way, the intersection is an undeniable gift that will long endure.

-----

Love will endure long after all the patience has been consumed.

-----

Love doesn't owe any respect to proximity in space nor time.

-----

It's often not what we say but what we don't say that says so much.

-----

It's interesting that life leads you down paths of which you may not be aware until you realize you are exactly where you've wanted to be.

-----

Sing from the top of your lungs and listen as it echoes from the top of the mountains.

-----

What you put out is echoed back to you.

-----

Let go of what you don't understand until you are ready to do so.

-----

Even an orchestra comprised of the most gifted musicians still requires a conductor.

-----

Take notice and appreciate without passing judgment.

-----

Knowledge is useless unless shared.

-----

None of our senses require a third element except sight which requires light.

-----

The more you learn, the more you'll learn that there is so much left to learn.

-----

The more you learn, the more you’ll learn how much you don’t know.

-----

Just as sunrise and sunset occur on their own time, so will many other things that we expect but can't control.

-----

The sun rises and sets at its own time, no matter who is watching.

-----

An experience is an occasion when time, space, and the senses are all recorded at one intersection.

-----

Accomplishments are never followed by excuses.

-----

Don't just make promises, make a commitment to keep your promises.

-----

Let go and experience the pull from the unfulfilled potential that awaits in the mystery of uncertainty.

-----

The irrationality that is fear is conquered not by the mind but by the heart.

-----

Embrace the certainty of uncertainty.

-----

One man's heaven is another man's hell, and vice versa.

-----

What you've never known, you'll never miss.

-----

Footprints may fade over time but memories will endure over a lifetime.

-----

Challenge your comfort level.

-----

It is human nature to feel tempted to take a chance. Don't deny yourself.

-----

Acknowledgement is a magical motivation which often translates to a more meaningful outcome.

-----

We are often motivated on a time scale much longer than our lifetimes.

-----

Never underestimate the power of hope.

-----

Persistence, perseverance, and passion will often overshadow talent, intellect, and resources.

-----

Perseverance is powered by our intentions,
Persistence powers our actions, and
Passion empowers our drive.

-----

Through uncertainty we grow and gain wisdom.

-----

Appreciate the art of uncertainty.

-----

Decide. Commit. Do. Be grateful.

-----

Hesitation no longer exists once there is true commitment.

-----

What others believe doesn't matter unless you agree with them.

-----

Your limitations are often self imposed.

-----

Distinguish between what you are interested in and what you are committed to.

-----

There can be no growth as long as you remain within your comfort zone.

-----

Venture out of your comfort zone and grow.

-----

To truly benefit from any path worth your time and effort, you must first start heading forward and then go all the way.

-----

Invite your fears to a dance and let your heart do the leading.

-----

It's never the same to appreciate what you've had after they're lost forever.

-----

Too often we are focused on looking forward rather than around us.

-----

Too often we are mindless of our own needs, and too mindful of other people's wants.

-----

Be mindful of those around you and kindful to yourself.

-----

Often you must let go and move on before you can receive.

-----

Letting go will set you free.

-----

It takes more strength, courage, and wisdom to go along with the flow of the river than to stand pondering on the riverbanks.

-----

The wise will flow with the river.

-----

When you let go and flow with the river, you'll sooner arrive to where you need to be.

-----

Trust the river and appreciate that it will carry you to where you need to be.

-----

It all starts and ends with me.

-----

Appreciate being who you are rather than trying to be who you aren't.

-----

Let go of your wants and you'll get your needs.

-----

Words have meaning but actions give them life and demonstrate their intent.

-----

When you expect nothing, you won't be disappointed but

realize that in the end, often what you expect will be all you'll get.

-----

Sometimes the only way to know that you can fly is to soar over the edge.

-----

Choosing to live with fear is like

choosing to live tied up in shackles to which

only you have the key.

-----

Never underestimate someone with passion, intent, and resources.

-----

Just as decisions lead to consequences, so do indecisions.

-----

When presented with several open doors,

reflect on where you have been,

where you are, and

where you want to be.

Your heart will lead the way.

-----

There is a dotted line between too much and just enough.

-----

While options are usually good to have,

take caution that they don't distract from the main objective.

-----

Music resonates with the soul, often transcending the mind.

-----

Be grateful for all the things go right each and every moment that keep you healthy.

-----

Who and what we've been to those around us will long endure regardless of shape or form.

-----

When a journey has taken more time than anticipated,

it is often because we weren't yet ready to arrive.

-----

When a journey has taken more time than anticipated,

it is often because we’ve needed more time to grow along the way.

-----

Getting from point A to point B isn't as important as

what you do with the experience acquired along the way.

-----

Humility is often derived from strength and mindfulness,
arrogance is often derived from lack of them.

-----

Ask your mind to listen,
your heart will sing.
Let your heart sing long enough,
your mind will merely whisper.

-----

True vision or passion can’t be transferred, inherited, or even taught.
They must be arise from within the soul.

-----

The mind will often try to distract while the heart is leading the way.

-----

Even the truly strong are often humbled in time.

-----

Even the truly strong will often succumb to change.

-----

Although nature may make its impact over thousands of years,

we have but a sliver of time to make a dent.

-----

Our accomplishments are

what we have done,

not just what we said we could.

-----

Sometimes we are on the sidelines or behind the scenes as spectators, supporters, workers, and fans. Sometimes we are players on the field or up on stage, in the spotlight.

We play many roles in each other's lives.

-----

We may not always get what we feel we deserve, but
we will often lose what we feel we haven't deserved.

-----

It is often better to avoid than to overcome.

-----

Love is felt by the heart but burns at the soul.

-----

Love lives in the heart but inspires the soul.

-----

Doors don't exist where there are no walls.

------

Asking questions is the best way to get answers.

-----

When built with strong a foundation,

walls, like relationships, can often provide strength and support

when and where it is needed most.

-----

The power of love felt when given.

-----

What we consider good or bad is relative and

merely labels each of us is continually evaluating and reevaluating

along with what we believe.

-----

What is good or bad is what we believe.

-----

We can transcend much when we focus on the bridge rather the water below.

-----

The feeling of a moment shared in time and space is a memory to last a lifetime.

-----

A moment felt between hearts is a memory forever cherished within the soul.

-----

Often we’ve unknowingly received help when

we didn’t even know we’ve needed it.

-----

Along our journey,

we sometimes need to take pause to appreciate

where we’ve been,

where we are, and

where we are heading.

-----

Many see the beauty in a butterfly but

rarely truly appreciate the transformation that

was necessary to become one.

-----

As it flows, runs, or even falls,

a river inspires and nourishes

so many along its journey.

-----

Never mock what you don’t yet understand.

-----

Fear may live in the mind but if allowed to remain will undoubtedly kill the soul.

You are not alone when you are with yourself.

-----

Fear may live in the mind but if allowed to remain will undoubtedly kill the soul.

-----

Sometimes, somethings you need to do by yourself, just because you want to.

-----

You must first venture off the shore before you can ever ride the waves.

-----

Give love and see and feel it in the most unusual, unexpected places.

-----

Our perceptions of our circumstances are based purely on our emotions and feelings.

To bring about change in your perceptions of outside circumstances,

simply bring about change to your emotions and feelings from the inside.

-----

Relationships, like trees, often reach way beyond the visible branches and the hidden roots.

-----

Happiness is not a destination,

it's a grateful feeling which powers our journey.

-----

You get what you give.

-----

Judge not what or who you cannot love.

It's a futile exercise.

-----

Happiness arises from within then with, but not without.

-----

Kindness also nourishes your own soul,

just as cruelty too will damage it.

-----

Share with a man a trail, and he'll usually take it;

give him wings, and he'll draw a map and share it.

-----

Life often lays paths before us.

We just have to be open to see them and

fearless enough to accept the challenge and

head right through them.

-----

Reflections of the mind are often more biased than reflections from the heart.

-----

Choose to see mistakes as lessons

needed to be learned,

and be grateful for they have taken you

to where you've needed to be.

-----

Today is the present between yesterday and tomorrow.

-----

Nature inspires our imagination and creations.

-----

You may be able to relive a memory but not an experience.

-----

EACH BOOK OF LIFE

Each book of life, has a cover never worthy of what's inside.
Each book of life, has a hopeful beginning.
Each book of life, starts with a white blank page.
Each book of life, has countless chapters, some short and some long.
Each book of life, often has one main author but several co-authors.
Each book of life, has many characters.
Each book of life, consists of many stories.
Each book of life, has many twists and turns.
Each book of life, is meant to be shared.
Each book of life, is meaningful.
Each book of life, is up for interpretation.
Each book of life, is unique, special, and unusual in its own way.
Each book of life, has an unforeseen ending.
Each book of life, lives on as it's passed on.
Each book of life, is written because it has a story of a lifetime to be told.

-----

When you live in fear, it's just a matter of time before it will kill you.

-----

Once you've seen the extraordinary in the ordinary, it's no longer ordinary.

-----

Hope, Passion, Determination, and Perseverance

are the legs on which we build the workbench of a lifetime.

-----

Many spend a lifetime searching for their passions rather than

just uncovering and embracing them.

-----

THE DANCE

When you dance with fear, fear chooses the beat.
When you dance with fear, fear sets the pace.
When you dance with fear, fear won't let you sit.
When you dance with fear, fear leads.
When you dance with fear, fear commands your steps.

When you dance with love, love chooses the beat.
When you dance with love, love sets the pace.
When you dance with love, love won't let you sit.
When you dance with love, love leads.
When you dance with love, love commands your steps.

Which will you choose to dance with?

-----

Go into anything with fear and you've already lost.

-----

Just like you can choose with whom you live,

you can choose to live without fear.

-----

When you give, it's the feeling that you receive which makes you want to give even more.

-----

What is priceless but when given and received can endure many lifetimes? Love.

-----

You must always first give before you can receive.

-----

The unknown is that which we don't yet have the tools to observe.

-----

You must first take care of yourself

before you can ever care for anyone else.

-----

Is it by coincidence that things don't seem to occur randomly?

-----

We must sometimes listen when we cannot see.

-----

Among the billions of people on Earth,

we truly connect and surround ourselves with just a few.

-----

Consider all the things that must have occurred just as they did

so two people will meet just as they do.

-----

We all journey through different paths, some of which run in parallel, but

many of which intersect often with those of people we love.

-----

Why do so many people wait for New Year's to

express gratitude and for a restart

when the sunrise offers it daily?

-----

It is the stories from which value is derived.

-----

Value is not determined merely from the result but rather

derived from the stories that are created and shared from the process.

-----

Experiences cannot be truly shared; the best we can do is to share our stories.

-----

Words are not just a set of random letters but rather a cast of characters,

with deliberate design and alignment,

which not only share a powerful purpose but which also

stand hand in hand to tell a common story.

-----

Sometimes a mere second can forever alter an entire lifetime.

-----

To rise and see from above, provides a perspective shone from love.

-----

If you give just so you'll receive, you'll be taken with just a receipt.

-----

Give with your heart and receive from start,
give with your head and receive when you're dead.

-----

Along its journey, a river often twists and turns, speeds up and slows down, diverges and converges, rises and falls, changes routes, as it heads to its destination.

Along its journey, a river often paves the earth, carries with it rocks and dirt, creates new paths, smooths over rocks, nourishes its environment, as it heads to its destination.

-----

Like the sun will give rise to the day, hope will give rise to the soul.

-----

Imagine going to a movie and watching it by yourself.

Now, imagine going to the same movie and watching it with a friend.

Even if neither of you directly communicate during the movie,

the experience is much different.

Isn't it?

There is an undeniable difference that is

felt when we share an experience with someone we care about.

-----

Choose words deliberately and with intent because they have great power.

------

Imagine the world you want to see and you'll see the world you've imagined.

-----

Imagination can create, build, and rebuild in seconds

what would otherwise sometimes take a lifetime.

-----

Like a little child at play,

the mind at play experiences the strongest level of imagination.

-----

Sometimes streams must diverge before they can converge into a river.

-----

Just as a river doesn't need to ask the earth permission for where it flows,

the earth doesn't need to thank the river for nourishing the trees along its path.

-----

Be grateful for the amazing people who are your life.

-----

We get to make memories with others but don't get to choose what they will remember.

-----

We get to make memories with others but get to choose only what we will remember.

-----

We may seldom be able to choose what we forget, but

we are often able to choose what we remember.

-----

Memories, like earthquakes, are constantly occurring and being recorded but only a few are significant enough for us to take notice and mark them.

-----

Give thanks for what's passed,
be grateful of where you are, and
show your gratitude as you keep going.

-----

Give thanks for receiving what you've wanted,
be grateful for having what you have, and
show your gratitude as you get what you need.

-----

It's good to have options, but
best to make decisions.

-----

Gratitude is much more than an attitude.

-----

Some believe that they are strong if only they, themselves, can control their minds.

If so, shouldn't they show their strength by choosing to thank and remember in a positive light?

-----

Imagination is a reality that others haven't yet seen.

-----

Logic is bound by rules,
imagination is bound by you.

-----

The mind believes in magic and illusions just as much as it sees reality.

-----

Who you are, what you do, and where you're going starts from the inside long before it is evident from the outside.

-----

Imagine a pencil that never dulls and has unlimited colors.

Imagine a canvas without any limits of size or dimensions.

Imagine a creative studio where time and space are unbound and at your will.

Imagine the possibilities of your imagination.

-----

Imagination not only allows you to create and recreate without any boundaries or limits of time, space, or materials, in time you'll see your creations materialize into a space of their own.

-----

Imagine and you will see.

-----

We sometimes need to let go to keep what we have.

-----

Relationships come with expectations,

and are gone when not mutually met.

-----

When you give, its only natural to expect to receive;

otherwise, it would be considered a donation.

-----

The recipient sets the value of what is given, not the giver.

-----

The universe moves at its own pace, not yours.

-----

Patience is relative and subjective.

-----

Promises aren’t broken if they are shattered.

-----

What we don’t say shouldn’t be expected to be heard.

-----

When already juggling too many things,

adding a tennis ball is just as difficult as adding a flaming torch.

-----

There is never a perfect time to do what we don’t want.

-----

Relationships may start when we are meeting our wants,

and often end when we are not meeting our needs.

-----

We often talk about what we want rather than what we need.

-----

Don’t expect anyone to understand what you need if you only communicate what you want.

-----

Others often honk at you when you are traveling too slow, but
rarely does anyone honk at you when you are traveling too fast.
Even if they do, the later is less consequential.

-----

You can share your perspective with others but shouldn’t expect them to see it.

-----

A photo usually has more meaning to the photographer than the viewer.

-----

A photo is snapshot of life because it captures and encapsulates not just a single fleeting moment of time and space, but also the emotions associated with it.

-----

The mind seeks what it wants.
The heart seeks what it needs.

-----

When we try to control,

we are really seeking balance.

-----

Search for what's true and accept it,
seek balance and maintain it,
be grateful and mean it,
embrace happiness and feel it,
whistle, sing, and dance and live it.

-----

Being in control is an illusion,

by knowing so you can see great magic.

-----

Although we cannot really control anything or anyone,

we can direct and guide everything and everyone.

-----

While the heart can do great magic,

beware there the mind can be a powerful illusionist.

-----

Take directions from mind and you'll be where it wants you to be,
give directions to your mind and you'll be where you need to be.

-----

Your mind isn't always the friend your heart is.

-----

INTERNAL PEACE:

(HEART/MIND)=1

-----

Be a beacon of light and see what beauty comes forth from the shadows.

-----

LOVE FEAR TO DEATH

When you live in fear,
you may, you might,
think that it's all real,
you may, you might,
not know how to feel,
you may, you might,
lock your heart in steel.

When you live in love,
you may, you might,
feel that it's all real,
you may, you might,
not know how to think,
you may, you might,
open up your heart to sing.

Let your heart pound and sing,
and soon you'll be soaring with wings,
high a top those peaks and dreams,
why would you ever settle for screams?

Live in love, not fear,
fill your heart with smiles not tears,
open up your heart and give,
love fear to death, and live.

-----

Want what you want,
need what you need,
give what you've been given,
take so you won't be taken,
live how you live,
love how you love,
be and let be,
embrace what's true and you'll see.

-----

Sometimes you'll rather be a comma than a full-stop,
sometimes you'll rather be a full-stop than a comma.

-----

Good problems are problems you can solve.

-----

We always find our way back to those we truly love.

-----

Sometimes the only way to

get to where you need to be

is to flow with the current of the river.

-----

DANCE WITH THE FIRE
We call them crazy,
some we even call insane,
those who do the unexpected,
who don’t just do the same.

We call them wacky,
some we even call fools,
those who do the unconventional,
who are drawn to the fire.

While most stand outside the ring,
they are found inside,
where they dance with the flames,
not sitting out and just watching from the sides.

Some start with a spark,
some add the fuel,
they do more than just walk the talk,
they flame the blaze and engage in the duel.

They dance inside the ring,
they embrace the flame,
they thrive with the heat,
its the fire that they tame.

We call them crazy and even insane,
we call them wacky and even fools,
these we know they are not,
they dance without tire.
It is with love and without fear that
they are alive while they dance with the fire.

-----

When you find a candle without a wick that cannot be lit, then either toss it out, or

if it is special enough, melt it down, remake it, and enjoy it's light.

-----

Along the journey, we can choose to see rocks, bumps, or pebbles.

Looking from above, they all look small and surmountable.

-----

Darkness only requires a beam of light to fade away.

-----

Often we see, and open doors and close them behind us.
Sometimes we don't see, and keep going through revolving doors ahead of us.

-----

Keep sweeping things under the rug and sooner than later you are bound to trip over it.

-----

You can dream while you are awake but can only have nightmares when you are sleep.

-----

The heart often knows while the brain is still thinking.

-----

Give thanks and you'll receive thanks.

-----

Gratitude is an attitude.

-----

The heart can often feel long before the mind can see.

-----

Happiness is the fuel needed in our journeys.

-----

Issues we don't address will continue rise until we take care of them.

-----

Deliberately take notice of what's around you and

soon you'll notice that you'll be doing so subconsciously.

-----

Be mindful of your needs and that of those with who you choose to share your life.

-----

Sometimes a gentle breeze can do what a gust previously couldn't.

-----

A candle can only give light while it burns.

-----

Candles aren't meant to be lit at both ends.

-----

You cannot rekindle a love that was never felt.

-----

It is through exploration that experience will be found.

-----

Education is a spark that when fueled can light up where once was darkness.

-----

Imagination is the ability to see a canvas

free of any limitations of boundaries, borders, or dimensions.

-----

Art is what is observed as a reflection of the beauty within.

-----

Paths that are now commonly travelled were once untravelled

until someone created them by leaving a trail.

-----

You can get what you want but still need what you need.

-----

Although getting what we want can make us happy,

getting what we need is necessary to lead us to happiness.

-----

Your wants feed you, while your needs drive you.

-----

We fear most what we don’t know and the unknown.

-----

Dam up a flow as much as you want but

the pressure will continue to build until

sooner than later it will burst through

because of its need to flow.

-----

A river wouldn’t be a river if it didn’t flow.

-----

To journey down a river, you must accept all the things that make it a river.

-----

Paddles have a different function when used on a lake than on a river.

-----

It takes much so much effort to try to swim upstream,

and yet most people blindly try do it on a daily basis.
At some point, we will all realize that it is as inconsequential

as trying to stay in the same spot.

-----

It isn’t as much that we are blind to things that occur around us,

it’s that we have chosen to close our eyes.

-----

If you don’t want to be in the dark, start by opening your eyes.

-----

HAPPINESS ISN’T A STATE OF BEING, HAPPINESS IS A STATE OF FEELING.

-----

You can be happy but need to feel happiness.

-----

You can love and can be loved but need to be in love.

-----

Our perceptions are our realities, but not necessarily the truth.

-----

It's amazing the beauty we notice when we take notice.

-----

Question what’s questionable, embrace what's not.

-----

To question is good, but
to understand is better.

-----

The beauty of a dream is not subject to debate.

-----

In life, there are pathways that are lit and others that you need to light.

-----

A candle simultaneously gives life to light as well as kills the darkness.

-----

We sometimes wonder, not because we are lost, but because of our need to find.

-----

We must sometimes wander off to experience the wonderful.

-----

A dream is usually seen with our eyes closed.

A vision is usually shared through open eyes.

------

We can journey with others but everyone must take their own steps.

------

Create and to build from within and soon you'll share throughout.

------

Sometimes windows become doors, and
sometimes doors become windows.

------

Notice and appreciate the unscheduled events that happen to happen throughout your day.

-----

You can't miss something you've never had nor experienced.

-----

Our becomes my when our focus becomes myopic.

-----

Turn your attention past you to reach euphoria.

-----

Sometimes we don’t have any but still have so much,
sometimes we don’t have many but have more than enough.

-----

Focus on the many rather than the any.

-----

When you find yourself talking your whole life,
make sure you are also listening and that you walk your talk.

-----

Sometimes being lost is necessary to find exactly where you are.

-----

A dream, like a powerful river, may be diverted but

cannot be stopped until it reaches its destination.

-----

It's great to welcome change while loving things as they are.

-----

What we want is what we don't have, an absence of something.
What we need is what we must have, a desire for something.

-----

We often settle for what we want, rather than what we need.

-----

See what you want but listen to your needs.

-----

Not being content doesn't mean not being appreciative or grateful, it means being beyond.

-----

To be content is to not want more, not to not need more.

-----

To be content is to be stagnant.

-----

To be content is to not grow.

-----

It's not about our life's contents which makes us content about our life.

-----

We all have holes which make us whole.

-----

A hole may be empty but go beyond and you'll find wholeness.

-----

You may have a hole in your pocket but still be rich.

-----

While the soul consists of both fire and water, the creative soul often burns with desires and intentions toward a state of pure fire, in light, enlightened.

-----

Fire often burns from within, and sometimes from without.

-----

Fire, once lit, can give light and energy where was once dim and apathy.

-----

Fire, once lit, can be put out, burnout, or create a storm.

-----

You may not always have choice in what others choose to do to you,

but you always have a choice in how you choose to feel about it.

-----

Sooner or later, you or someone else will dig up and uncover what you may have buried or suppressed rather than addressed. It is always better and less work to address more and bury less now, so there won't be much to dig, uncover, or address later.

-----

Although it's often the unpredictability that cannot be predicted,

it's also the predictability that cannot often be unpredicted.

-----

Perspectives on any situation differ not only between different people but also within ourselves. It's always up to you to choose yours, and you may also sometimes have a hand in that of others who trust you.

-----

Those who are around you can try and will try to give you help,

but you can and will receive help only once YOU start to try.

-----

Simply, BE.

-----

It's simple. EVERYTHING is energy, EVERYTHING.

-----

When you lose a love, find peace in gratitude.

-----

Love cannot be lost because it was not found but discovered.

-----

What we see is a reflection of what we feel.

-----

Life mirrors our emotions.

-----

Befriend your fears.

-----

The first step in learning from our mistakes is to accept responsibility.

-----

Life sometimes throws you unanticipated twists,

it's your choice to call them mistakes or opportunities.

-----

When opportunity comes knocking, answer the door, welcome it in,

and then check to see why the doorbell wasn't working. :-)

-----

Appreciate and show gratitude for what you have been given and you will receive more to be thankful for.

-----

If you think it is not possible, it won't be possible,

but it doesn't mean that it is impossible.

-----

Many things have been once thought to be impossible until someone thought it was possible.

-----

It often takes a novice to do what the experts had thought to be impossible.

-----

Don't limit your thoughts to what you are taught by others.

-----

See it with your mind's eye, and you'll soon see it with your own eyes.

-----

Gratitude is priceless.

-----

When you bring a smile to someone's face,

you'll feel a gratitude from the heart.

-----

What you see with your mind's eye is what you have felt with your heart.

-----

Our imagination knows no boundaries, sees no lines, and has no limits,

unless we teach, draw, and set them ourselves.

-----

Imagine what you want or need, and be grateful for what you'll receive.

-----

Know that you get what you think and feel.

-----

Your Lemon Tree

-----

Give thanks, show gratitude.

-----

Be grateful for what you are within, not what you are without.

-----

Reach within to receive what you are without.

-----

The outcomes we desire often come out from within.

-----

When you have expectations, the unexpected may often startle you.
When you have anticipations, the unanticipated will often fascinate you.

-----

Express gratitude before an action and the outcome will be as you had predictably intended.

-----

Gratitude must be felt deeply.

-----

We make most decisions based on how they will make us feel.

-----

Doing what is predictable often leads to a predicable outcome.
An unpredictable outcome often stems from not doing what is predictable.
Either way, our outcomes necessitate doing rather than just thinking.

-----

Although it's often the unpredictability that cannot be predicted,

it's the predictability that cannot be often unpredicted.

-----

It's not necessary to see magic to have a magical day.

-----

From the depth of the deepest canyons to the heights of the highest peaks,

nature shows us by example what is possible.

-----

The elements have taken millions of years of persistence and acceptance of change to carve out a great canyon. We have but a lifetime of gratitude to carve out our own.

-----

Even at the darkest, imagine a single ray of light and show your gratitude,

for it will show you it's source.

-----

Give thanks to what you have because what you have is often what you've needed.

-----

Children while untarnished reflect rather than refract.

-----

Grownups are children who have given up on their dreams.

-----

Within each of us is a child full of imagination, hopes, and dreams,

who is imagining, hoping, and dreaming to fulfill what is within us.

-----

A child's innocence is fragile and irreparable.

-----

Never underestimate the power of a sunrise and the hope of what's ahead.

-----

What's ahead is what's in your head.

-----

We see what we want to see,
we feel what we want to feel,
we are what we want to be.

-----

Give thanks for all that you've been given.

-----

Be grateful for living a great, full life.

----

Be thankful that your tank's full.

-----

True love is giving without any expectations.

-----

Awake to the sunrise with gratitude for what's to be,
fall asleep after the sunset with gratitude for what has been.

-----

Through gratitude shines happiness.

-----

Gratitude can pierce through fear in ways nothing else can.

-----

Everything in life is charged with energy that may not always be seen but

can always be felt and appreciated.

-----

Give thanks to your friends and foes for you are who you are because of them.

-----

No matter your accomplishments, you will be humbled in the presence of nature.

-----

True love is a feeling that feels unlike anything you've ever felt before.

-----

Be grateful and not fearful.

-----

Gratitude is what we have, show, and feel.

-----

Each relationship worth your time is special and

within each lies gold that once uncovered will fulfill timeless richness

filled with golden light.

-----

Dreams are just dreams unless realized.

-----

I may not have intended to be where I am but am where I needed to be.

-----

Have gratitude for what you have, it is usually what you've wanted.

Give what you’ve been given and appreciate the unusual, it is what you've needed.

-----

Just as the sun will rise each and every morning,
just as the rock will soften by each and every wave,
we can live each and very day just knowing,
we may just get what we want, but not just what we crave.

-----

Just as the sun will rise each and every morning,
as the rock will just soften by each and every just wave,
we just get what we've been just wanting,
but need to just appreciate to get what we need and crave.

-----

Sometimes you light a thousand matches before you ignite a true fire.

-----

Sometimes a thousand matches still cannot ignite a fire.

-----

When you love someone you always need to let them know.
When you love someone you sometimes need to let them go.

-----

You sometimes need to let go to keep what you have.

-----

We sometimes get what we want, just not what we need.

-----

We often get what we want, sometimes what we need, and always what we heed.

-----

When you are are too brave to fall but too scared to fight, pause and appreciate it.

----

Sow what you want and what you need and soon you’ll see it grow.

----

It’s sometimes better to burn out than to fade out of sight,
but it’s always best to not lose sight of what we don’t want to burn or let fade.

----

When you are truly happy, you will see open doors where there were only walls before.

-----

A hungry wolf that has been fed too long,

will by it’s nature need to hunt.
When it does eventually go hunting,

it can either act as any ordinary, lone wolf or

embrace the gift of love it has been given,

and show by his actions the truly extraordinary one he has become.

-----

Wolves may be strong alone but are powerful when they work together as a pack.

-----

Sacrificing vs. Giving

Sacrificing and giving are diametrically different.
Sacrificing comes from a place of lacking.
Giving comes from a place of abundance.
Sacrificing comes from a state of wanting.
Giving comes from an appreciation of having.
Sacrificing comes with expectations.
Giving comes with gratitude.
Sacrificing is depleting and consuming.
Giving is contributory and empowering.
Sacrificing is more like taking.
Giving is more like sharing.
Sacrificing is rarely enough.
Giving is always more than enough.
Sacrificing can rarely be reciprocated.
Giving is always reciprocated.
Sacrificing leads to resentment.
Giving leads to happiness.
The difference is simply felt.

-----

To truly give is to do so without any expectations.

-----

Our intentions give rise to our actions, which arise from our feelings.

-----

Success rises from within, not from without.

-----

The soul once awake,

empowers the body once asleep.

-----

The time invested in finding and dwelling in inner peace

pays dividends when peace is needed outside.

-----

We may be able to choose what we see, and

what feelings we share or try to hide, but
we can't choose what those who love us see and feel.

-----

Each day beholds with a very predictable light, and

often holds an unprecitable story ready to unfold.

-----

Appreciate the past,
live in the moment,
embrace the future.

-----

As time moves forward, so must we.

-----

Time moves at its own pace, not ours.

-----

Somethings just take time.

-----

To often relive what's in the past is to seldom appreciate living in the present.

-----

It takes an incredible amount of strength to stand back and not give unsolicited help to those we love, but sometimes that’s exactly what is necessary to strengthen a truly loving relationship.

-----

Regardless of whether or not they are aware of it,

we often provide unsolicited help to those we love by

being the unconditional safety net present beneath their journey.

-----

A verse. A poem. A song, A story.

Everything written to be shared is constructed by

words and phrases that the writer has uniquely chosen with great intent.

-----

Just like a good carpenter doesn't just randomly hammer in nails,

a good writer uses words with great intent.

-----

How can two people agree that something is interesting but one show no interest in it?

-----

We are often interested in what may be interesting, but
what may be interesting is not what we are often interested in.

-----

Isn't it interesting that we can find somethings interesting?

(When somethings, like the sentence, don't have a very clear meaning but we can "find" it to be clearly meaningful)

-----

Sometimes we see,
sometimes we don't see,
sometimes we can't see,
sometimes we don't need to see,
sometimes we don't want see,
sometimes we shouldn't see.
[replace see with hear, feel, and think]

-----

Not all gifts are meant to be kept for a lifetime.

-----

Some gifts are timeless and when truly appreciated, become priceless.
Some gifts are perishable and when left unappreciated, become worthless.

-----

Some gifts we cherish for a lifetime,

others we consume for a short time.

-----

We often strive to understand what we are unable to accept,

rather than accept what we are unable to understand.

-----

Not everything must be truly understood to be appreciated.
Not everything must be truly appreciated to be understood.

-----

We can often only understand after we have stopped trying to understand.

It’s that simple, if you understand.

-----

As much as we often seek validation and fascination,

we often flee criticism and boredom.

-----

The unsolicited gesture of one person doing something different than would have been predictable, can often give rise to a higher level to both people in a relationship.

-----

A realist sees what is possible,

a dreamer cannot see what is impossible.

-----

A realist focuses on possibilities,

a dreamer doesn’t just focus on them.

-----

We do our best to share our experiences and give those we love the tools for life, but

often wisdom comes from lessons that they must themselves experience.

-----

Knowing that what you are experiencing

has been experienced and

will be experienced by many others,

may be helpful to know

but not necessarily helpful.

-----

Can you regret what you could not control?

-----

When a raft is naturally heading downstream,

how realistic is it for stop or change direction?

Depends where it is on its journey,

how much effort it can and is willing to put into it,

but mostly how much it needs or wants to.

-----

While preparation often precedes a decision and action often follows, they are often necessary to achieve the desired outcome.

-----

Often, more time and energy is spent on making a decision than on acting on it.

-----

Very rarely do decisions lead to a dead end.

-----

You are more likely to get into an accident by constantly looking back at the rearview mirror rather than looking ahead at the front windshield.

-----

Once you discover your life purpose, a sense of urgency will fuel the fire and emblaze the path to fulfill it in your lifetime.

-----

Deeply emotional words like passion and love have often been symbolized by fire and its bilateral productive and destructive nature.

-----

Experiences guide our paths.

Intentions light up our paths.

Decisions direct our paths.

Actions drive us on our paths.

-----

Birth is a shared origin, as death is a shared destination.

Life is what's shared in between.

-----

We often see what can be, long before we can see how it can be.

-----

We often see what can be, long before others can appreciate what it is.

-----

We must first see who we are before we can move forward towards who we can be.

-----

We must first see who we are before others can.

-----

We often see what we can have, long before others will have it to see.

-----

Our mistakes, more often than our successes,

shine light on paths which had never been expected.

-----

When you not only accept but come to expect that mistakes will naturally happen,

you will no longer see them as mistakes but as opportunities.

-----

Mistakes as well as successes both signify that

a decision has been made and an action has ben taken.

-----

Mistakes are a contraction of our misses and retakes.

-----

Isn’t it ironic that man puts so much effort to ward off boredom, which itself is so effortless?

-----

Our dreams aren’t a destination, they are what drives us in our journey.

-----

Our perspectives are like prescription glasses which can be shared with others with the same vision, but as such, many others may never be able to see them as clearly.

-----

While most people often cheer for the Challenger, my dad most often cheered for the Champion because since the Challenger had never felt what it was like to be a Champion, he would not feel as bad as the Champion who had felt and knew what he would be losing.

-----

Why do we put much more effort to keep what we have than to get what we don’t?

-----

Why do we often put much more effort to become who we want to be,

rather than appreciate who we are?

-----

Why do we sometimes put much more effort to make others be who we think they should be,

rather than accept and appreciate who they are?

-----

Our perspectives are shaped by the feelings and experiences that shape us.

As our feelings and experiences change, so will we and so will our perspectives.

-----

No matter how much somethings can appear to make sense from one’s perspective,

they can also appear to be nonsense from another’s.

-----

People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

-----

While some people come into our lives for a reason or a season,

very few do we keep for a lifetime.

-----

Whether present for a reason, a season, or a lifetime,

people are presents that may often take time to be truly appreciated.

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Whether presented for a reason or a season,

some people are presents that may take a lifetime to be appreciated.

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Whether presented for a reason or a season,

some people are presents to be appreciated for a lifetime.

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With anticipation there is often much hope.

With expectation there is often much disappointment.

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Through discomfort we often find growth.

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Having a vision without taking action is like

watching someone on TV build a dream home.

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Having a vision without taking action is like

sitting on the couch watching the Travel Channel.

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Funny how we can justify what we need to.

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Allay your fears or they will allay your life.

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Paymanism.com & Paymanisms.com

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Paymanism™ & Paymanisms™

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