... comes in many forms.

Music, art, poetry ... people and friendships ... stories and anecdotes ... quotes from the 'heroes' of today and past.

Share what you will with us, those 'things' that inspire you.

I'll start us off with some thoughts, if you will, from author Dave Eggers:

"Do not be critics, you people, I beg you. I was a critic and I wish I could take it all back because it came from a smelly and ignorant place in me, and spoke with a voice that was all rage and envy. Do not dismiss a book until you have written one, and do not dismiss a movie until you have made one, and do not dismiss a person until you have met them. It is a f-load of work to be open-minded and generous and understanding and forgiving and accepting, but (man!), that is what matters. What matters is saying yes."

Want some more? Have a listen to Bono's acceptance speech from this years' NAACP acceptance speech found ... here.

(Tip of the hat to Matt (aka Canuck_Photo_Guy), for pointing me to the thoughts contained here and the inspiration for this thread.)

Stung

"There once was a hindu holy man who saw a scorpion floundering around in the water. He decided to save it by stretching out his finger.

But the scorpion stung him.

The man still tried to get the scorpion out of the water, but the scorpion stung him again.

A man nearby told him to stop saving the scorpion that kept stinging him.

But the holy man said, "It is the nature of the scorpion to sting. It is my nature to love. Why should I give up my nature to love just because it is the nature of the scorpion to sting?"

I haven't got any stories to tell as of yet... but a song that really inspired me to get up and keep on living my life through hard times, for some reason, was:

Snow Patrol - You Could Be Happy

That song saved my life.

And one of the many people I have to council amazes me. He's gone through so much, and now his sister is having some trouble with their dad, where he's done stuff she hasn't been comfortable with. He's has been so great with their sister, he's been looking out for her and not letting his dad get near her, and I find it so inspiring that he's dealing with it and not letting the worry take over his life. Well, not too much anyway.

"Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes .. that way, if you still disagree with him, you'll be a mile away and you'll have his shoes"

"It will all be the same in a hundred years."

Helps me keep my perspective. :-).

*Pulls out serious mode*

My greatest inspiration comes from my grandmother. My grandfather abused both her and my real mother physically. There is one known case of sexual abuse towards my real mother, and the reason there's only one is because as soon as my grandmother discovered it, she packed Gail (real mother) who was 8 @ the time off to stay with a friend of hers, and divorced my grandfather. This is over 50 years ago, and divorce was not common nor easy to achieve and carried a great stigma. That and the fact that my grandfather held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill all 3 of them if she ever left him.

She did her best to protect her daughter, but he had visiting rights, and there were apparently a few more incidents to say the least. As Gail grew up, she never acknowledged what her father had done to her, and blamed my grandmother for everything bad that had ever happened to her.

My father and Gail divorced when I was 3. Gail had visiting rights, and frequently we would spend those Saturdays with my grandmother. Some of you have heard me mention I was abused, and it was @ Gail's hands. My grandmother... that impressive amazing woman, once more took the hard road. In her house, it didn't matter what I had done, whether or not I deserved punishment, Gail was not allowed to touch me. I cannot begin to describe to you the impact of that safety zone for me.

I'm absolutely sure that it made her relationship with her daughter worse, but she did it anyway to protect me. And fighting cancer the whole time, she was always gracious. My younger sister (who is actually a half-sister, but that never matters except for clarification in cases like these), also considers her HER grandmother. She came and stayed with us (dad, stepmom aka mom, and younger and older sister more than once.

She always called me mademoiselle. She was a sociologist and had the coolest things from all over the world around her house. When my sister and I would sneak in and make her bed on weekends we stayed over, she always kept to the game, and declared the elves must have done it. She invited my younger sister over for Christmas. She always had a ready smile, and smelled of jasmine.

From her I learned to fight for things that I believe in, even when they're inconvenient. To have care, and compassion, and to stand up for others - especially those who cannot stand up for themselves. To be able to accept my own mistakes and move on and try to limit the damage and not repeat them. That family is who you define them as. I'm still working on learning grace, but I figure I might manage it by the time I get to the age she was.

Of course, I learned many of these things from other people too… but I learned them 1st from her.

And as I write this, I am once again crying my eyes out… because it has been 24 years and I still miss the hell out of her.

Imma spend the next 5 min crying and then I'll put serious mode away. And simply remember the wonderful woman she was… and aspire to live up to her standard.

*sneaks in*

*sets out tray of various cookies and tea*

*leaves a small sign next to ...*

Three passions have governed my life:
The longings for love, the search for knowledge,
And unbearable pity for the suffering of [humankind].

Love brings ecstasy and relieves loneliness.
In the union of love I have seen
In a mystic miniature the prefiguring vision
Of the heavens that saints and poets have imagined.

With equal passion I have sought knowledge.
I have wished to understand the hearts of [people].
I have wished to know why the stars shine.

Love and knowledge led upwards to the heavens,
But always pity brought me back to earth;
Cries of pain reverberated in my heart
Of children in famine, of victims tortured
And of old people left helpless.
I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot,
And I too suffer.

This has been my life; I found it worth living.

- Bertrand Russell [adapted]

*sneaks out*

(((((((((hugs)))))))))) for Cat. ;=)

I had something really great to contribute, it would have floored you....but I forgot what it was.

I do know some more seriously amazing people, but right now I'm in school and haven't got the time/energy/physical wellbeing to tell you about them.

*huggles for Cat*

Inspiration...theres many things that inspire me...

Gorgeous and vivid sunrise/sunsets
Plain, not-out-of-the-ordinary sunrise/sunsets (no, really, this morning was a perfect example)
The mountains
A slight breeze just after it's rained
The thought of the unknown, both taxing on the nerves but inspiring also

There's more, I'm sure, but it could go on for a while

Actually, a few months ago I was struggling with inspiration in my photography. Rob (third_eye) said something that was hugely inspiring "stop looking at the city as a city. break it up and strip it down. textures. patterns. shapes.". That was huge, as I was getting used to taking photos or a new landscape...an urban landscape.

ty all for your care. I simply wanted to share my amazing woman w/you. I didn't really mean to hijack the thread THAT way… and so thanks to Matt too for bringin it back down to earthishness.

Have I mentioned my other inspiration? The Animaniacs? I love them SOOOO much. I learned impudence from them… okay fine… I learned how to carry impudence off better from them. There. Happy? Good… you guys should all go take lessons too. 8•P

OK....I got it...never mind...I forgot again. Don't you hate when that happens? What thread is this?

Huh, what? That post made no sense DCM! lol

music always gets me through. last year during the worst of chemo/radiation treatments i listened to jimmy buffett...but especially to this song:

He said I was in my early forties
with a lot of life before me
when a moment came that stopped me on a dime
and I spent most of the next days
looking at the x-rays
Talking bout the options
and talking bout sweet time
I asked him when it sank in
that this might really be the real end
how�s it hit you when you get that kinda news
man what�d you do

and he said
I went sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named fumanchu
and I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
and I gave forgiveness I�d been denying
and he said someday I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.

He said I was finally the husband
that most the time I wasn�t
and I became a friend a friend would like to have
and all the sudden going fishin
wasn�t such an imposition
and I went three times that year I lost my dad
well I finally read the good book
and I took a good long hard look
at what I�d do if I could do it all again

and then
I went sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named fumanchu
and I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
and I gave forgiveness I�d been denying
and he said someday I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.

Like tomorrow was a gift and you got eternity to think about
what�d you do with it what did you do with it
what did I do with it
what would I do with it?

Sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named fumanchu
and then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
and I watched an eagle as it was flying
and he said someday I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.
To live like you were dying
To live like you were dying
To live like you were dying
To live like you were dying

It has always been my nature to live each day as if it were my last...no regrets...but it was especially true last year. I could probably handle losing my taste and touch, maybe even my sight, but if i couldn't listen to music or hear my kids laugh...

Inspiration...waking up to my kids every day, kissing my hubby goodbye every morning, people who enjoy hanging with me because they like me for me....above all else, being a Child of GOD.....

Hey this is the most amaaaaazing thread guys! Amazing and mind boggling and inspyrationaiiiizing and and and

and if Mr Digi ever figures out which thread he's on, yes! Mind-boggling!

a BIG HUG for Cat.
yeah, it happened to me too, it was BOTH of my parents when I was very little, and I had absolutely no other grown-ups to turn to. But my inspiration turned up disguised as another little girl who became my best friend. We looked very different. I was little with dark hair and brown eyes, she was taller and had white-blonde hair and blue eyes. She was betrayed by her stepfather.We were just five years old and at that age magic is everywhere. So together we faced the world, and created worlds of our own, lots of worlds. We caught fireflies together and played with our little china animals together and saw our favorite movies together. When we got to be around eleven or twelve or thirteen, we rode horses together, went swimming and canoeing, stayed over at eachother's houses on weekends, and wrote stories about our favorite singers together.

She was my Godsend, and I was hers.

Now the strangest thing was, we grew up at a time when you never ever talked about "it."
So neither of us knew exactly what had happened to the other when we were so little.

Until recently. It took us all those long years to be able to talk about the abuses we survived, which has allowed us to feel even closer to each other. Because, you see, after all those years she is still my nearest and dearest friend.

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all.

--- Emily Dickinson


And a BIG HUG to Gemma too, and everyone who comes here

*smiles ... gently*

You just rock, Cookie. ((HUGS))

Ok, I was going to place a ... ahem ... few quotes on a recent image of mine that centered on the power of words. Had I been the first there to comment.

Seems like I didn't make it, and yet another door opened ... this thread which I had forgotten about. Soooo .. some of you might have a couple of these contained in my thank yous.

However, like I said above in my opening line ... I had a 'few' ... here are the rest. Some are on the lighter side as well, in particular I like the quote from Marcel Marceau.

Here ya go:

Kind words cost no more than unkind ones . . . and we may scatter the seeds of courtesy and kindliness around us at so little expense. If you would fall into any extreme let it be on the side of gentleness. The human mind is so constructed that it resists vigor and yields to softness. - Jeremy Bentham

Words of comfort, skillfully administered, are the oldest therapy known to man. - Louis Nizer

Words can sometimes, in moments of grace, attain the quality of deeds. - Elie Wiesel

A powerful agent is the right word. Whenever we come upon one of those intensely right words in a book or newspaper the resulting effect is physical as well as spiritual, and electrically prompt. - Mark Twain

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. - Mother Teresa

We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. - Martin Luther King Jr

Fools live to regret their words, wise men to regret their silence. - William Henry

Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture, and, if possible, speak a few sensible words. - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach. - Winston Churchill

Words do two major things: They provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness. - Jim Rohn

Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image on men's souls, and a beautiful image it is. - Blaise Pascal

Do not the most moving moments of our lives find us all without words? - Marcel Marceau

I try to leave out the parts that people skip. = Elmore Leonard




There once was a wise sage who wandered the countryside. One day, as he passed near a village, he was approached by a woman who saw he was a sage and told him of a sick child nearby. She beseeched him to help this child. The sage came to the village, and a crowd gathered around him, for such a man was a rare sight. One woman brought the sick child to him, and he said a prayer over her.

"Do you really think your prayer will help her, when medicine has failed?" yelled a man from the crowd.

"You know nothing of such things! You are a stupid fool!" said the sage to the man.

The man became very angry with these words and his face grew hot and red. He was about to say something, or perhaps strike out, when the sage walked over to him and said: "If one word has such power as to make you so angry and hot, may not another have the power to heal?"

And thus, the sage healed two people that day.

I find this amazing little girl a wonderful inspiration.. she has shown tremendous courage.. she has survived 2 cars running over her, severe burns and amputation.. she shows that no matter what life throws at you.. you can survive.. just keep fighting.. please read her story so when times get tough remember sophie's fight.. Sophie

Stalwart little Sophie is an inspiration to us all Jackie, you're so right ! She's been kissed by the angels, that's for sure.

And Cat ? Love .... many gentle hugs & a shoulder sweetie.

As for me, my inspiration is my step-mother Gloria...... to NOT be the person she always said I was. I am NOT stupid or ugly with no hope of redemtion !!! Nor am I scum of the earth who's only place in life is a detention center. And I never was.

Sophie's Story is the kind of story I wish I could read on the front page of the daily newspaper
instead of all the horrific things, the catastrophic, apocalyptic things happening around the world, or maybe even alongside them to give us some balance, something of the spirit to measure the days with...
mary

Hear hear.

*once again... drinks to that.*

My artistic inspiration... the little things around us, seeing something natural with fresh colours, a sunset with the clouds around it making it look like it's setting over a beautiful ocean, or snowy mountain tops. Watching those lamp posts roll on endlessly on a long car journey. Seeing something long forgotten when cleaning your room, something so dear to your heart that you can't believe you left in your past. A friend that spills their heart to you, so much that you can feel their pain. Sitting in your garden at dusk watching the bats fly free. I could go on forever.

The one person I admire in my life right now is a motivational speaker that came into our school. The minute he walked in, he had our undivided attention. He talked about the little things at first, things that made him feel better about himself, like wearing socks that matched the colour of his jumper, and those sorts of things. He said about how he'd almost been mugged, but curled up on a ball in the ground and started shouting crazily about "WHYYYYYYY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?!?!" and when he looked up, the mugger had run for it. I think everyone in that hall was inspired by him really. And if you've seen the school I go to, that is a really big achievement.

Well, that's my two cents.

Thanks for sharing Sophies' story with us Jacqueline. :o)

I particularly and wholeheartedly agree with the words expressed by her father at the end of that article and they bear repeating here:

"When you do see people like Sophie out there, with any disability or any differences, please give them a smile, say hello to them, make them feel like they are citizens of our country."

Sophie ... you absolutely rock and rule in my mind. :o))

Here's to being what we can be. *raises glass of properly chilled milk*

Welll ... I have cookies on my plate atm, what'd ya expect? :oP

Thanks Les... she sure is an amazing girl.. she's touched many hearts over here with her courage...

Just a pretty story...

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?"

"That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them."

"For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

Ahhh ... very well stated. :o)

*gets all inspired and stuff*

Yay :D

And where have you been for a few days? Don't do a Terri and Curtie on us Les.

"Sometimes our light goes out
but is blown into flame by another human being.
Each of us owes deepest thanks to those
who have rekindled this light."

- Albert Schweitzer

I hafta say, Gem, I love your story. If my parents had half the wisdom you have... well, you know the rest.

Make a Difference

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out,"Good morning! What are you doing?" The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"

"The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."

as many times as i have heard that story, i still love to hear it. Thanks for sharing. =)

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Earlier I was in quite a bad mood, it was sunny and I was feeling cruel... so I made the rain and the storms happen. I do this quite a lot, and I love the sound of heavy drops splashing down everywhere. Now I feel artistic... but it's my bedtime.

P.S. Anyone in Essex or London who is experiencing storms right now... my bad :P It appears to have spread farther than I intended.

You may have seen this before, however, another member's sig reminded me of it and I thought it appropriate to help keep us grounded during this holiday season.

A wonderful Message by George Carlin:

"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour. We conquered outer space but not inner space.

We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

I have, but thanks for the timely re-post, Les. Good on you :o)

Is this the same George Carlin of "The Seven Words You Can't Say on Television" fame? What wonderful sentiments. I can't help but notice, however, the conspicuous absence of any reference to "author of every good and perfect gift."

- Mike

at a time when I feel there's very little to celebrate in my life right now... I will have to keep his words close to my heart...

(Flame off) This year has been an absolute maelstrom for us too... I hope you all find inner peace and contentment in 2008.

- Mike

(*steps up to the podium*)

(*tap tap tap*)

(*presses Ctrl+V on his keyboard ... and Verena Appears*)

(*and he saw that it was good ... *)




Butt Prints in the Sand

@ Mary ... Hmm, think I can offer a lil' assist here for you ...

Why not celebrate your return to art that transpired this year?

Annnd celebrate the fact that in such a short time, at least on the site here since I have known you ... your star has risen fast and high. Your peers are of the highest calibre and you have earned your rightful place in amongst them.

You and your following of viewers, co-exist in the best of symbiotic relationships. Your work brings much joy into their lives and as a result not only has your fan base grown, but you have as well. Both personally and professionally. And at the base is a mutual respect for one another.

We like you Mary, the person ... and admire Mary, the artist.

Not too shabby, methinks.

@ Mike ... thank you for turning off that ... that, 'pilot' light. We already have one. :o)

And danke to the other handsome lads. Much appreciated. Humour and appreciation is good good in my books. No worries. :o)

Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday.

Today is the yesterday we'll regret tomorrow.

And tomorrow is the day we thought was Monday!..when it is in fact Tuesday!!!

~getting a bit to confuzzled now~!!

My today is your tomorrow.. hehehehe

There's a reason they call it "Down Under." Please return summer when you're done with it...


-=* Something Inspirational (Decidedly -not- PC) *=-

If you love something, release it.
If it was really yours, it will return.
If it doesn't, hunt it down and kill it.

Brings a tear to my eye...

No mike you've got it all wrong....

If you love something, release it.
If it was really yours, it will return.
If it's not, then it was never happend to be!

*tears in my eyes*

Katharine Hepburn:

"Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then."

Hmmm ...

Robert Tizon:

"I would rather have eyes that cannot see; ears that cannot hear; lips that cannot speak, than a heart that cannot love."

Freeze This Moment - Jenna Todd

We were sitting on your rooftop
Staring at the skies
The sun was dipping lower
I looked into your eyes
You saw what I was feeling
I know you felt it too
We wanted time to just stand still
Then forever there'd be me and you
Why can't we freeze this moment?
Return to it in time
Stay together through the years
Proclaim I'm yours and you are mine
So let us freeze this moment
Store it safely away
Even if we leave this place
We'll return to it someday.

:o)

wow that's a lovely and beautiful poem Les, didn't know you had it in you:))

"It will be a great day when our schools have all the money they need, and our air force has to have a bake-sale to buy a bomber." - Robert Fulghum

A couple of videos:

The Circle of Life ... by Ilias Sounas.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow (What a Wonderful World) ... by Israel Kamakawiwo Ole.

:o))

Telepathy!!!!....because I have been taken pictures yesterday of the rainbow that we had here.

So? Why are you telling me this?

I already knew that silly.

Women, sheesh ... they really like to hear themselves talk, don't the..

*gets hit in the head by a frying pan*

Hmm, I smell pancakes.

:oP

be glad that you are living in Canada or else I would come and hit you with that frying pan..:))

Just make sure you bring along the pancakes with banana. Yummy. :o)

"The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions — the little soon-forgotten charities of a kiss, a smile, a kind look, a heartfelt compliment in the disguise of a playful raillery, and the countless other infinitessimals of pleasurable thought and genial feeling." - Samuel Taylor Coleridge

And my own personal fav for the moment, my own sig:

"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap." - Robert Fulghum

:oD

I Shall Wear Purple
Jenny Joseph

Warning
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practise a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

:o)

Start by doing what's nessary, then do what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

"Love is the most beautiful of dreams and the worst of nightmares" -William Shakespeare

Judge Gently
Author Unknown

Pray don't find fault with the man who limps
or stumbles along the road,
unless you have worn the shoes he wears
or struggled beneath his load.
There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt,
though hidden away from view,
or the burden he bears, placed on your back
might cause you to stumble too.
Don't sneer at the man who's down today
unless you have felt the blow
that caused his fall or felt the shame
that only the fallen know.
You may be strong, but still the blows
that were his if dealt to you,
in the selfsame way, at the selfsame time,
might cause you to stagger too.
Don't be too harsh with the man who sins
or pelt him with word or stone,
unless you are sure, yea, doubly sure,
that you have no sins of your own -
for you know perhaps if the tempter's voice
should whisper as softly to you
as it did to him when he went astray,
it might cause you to stumble too.



'Every man has his secret sorrows, which the world knows not; and oftentimes
we call a man cold when he is only sad.'
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Thank you to the above posters.

Some thoughts ...

Welcome to the Offtopics Dreamer9; aka ... uhm, "E"?

Don't be shy, you can tell us your name ... we won't tell anyone. ;o)

Or ... we'll wrestle it out of you ... eventually. :oD

Lyn's offerings of prose ...

A heart that is full ... and possesses charity ... is indeed something to think about and aspire to, and embracing that as a personal value ... hopefully.

Welcome Dreamer9 "E" ... that's one of my favorite quote's by William Shakespeare.

I am rather fond of this one ...

"To me, there are three things we should all do every day. Number 1 is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number 2 is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number 3 is you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think and you cry, that's a full day, that's a heck of a day."
---Jim Valvano

Wellll ... I've had a full day already then. Laughed at the insanity of the other Offtopic discussions. Had to think to get my 'synopsis' down to a respectable word count. And cried ... when I was listening to the strings part of a song. They move me, they do.

Ok, I'm calling it a day!!

:oP

Thank you danika, here is another one of my favorites.

"What the heart gives away is never gone...It is kept in the hearts of others".
-Robin St. John

Have a fav of mine that is along the same lines as yours above ... uhm, E (ohh, I'll eventually get you to spill your name ... I am relent'les's :o) ) ... and it is this:

"The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose."
- Hada Bejar

I've always like the saying,
"When life hands you lemons, make lemonade"
-Unknown

Yesterday is but a dream, tomorrow but a vision. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this day.
- Indian Proverb

Live today, don't think of tomorrow!!

"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servants and has forgotten the gift."

-A. Einstein

yesterday is history,
today is now,
tomorrow is the future

"A person is not old until their regrets take the place of their dreams." [adapted]
- John Barrymore

"Love lives on hope, and dies when hope is dead. Its a flame which sinks for lack of fuel."

-Pierre Corneille

Good ideas are not adopted automatically. They must be driven into practice with courageous patience.

~Admiral Hyman Rickover

************************

Only as high as I reach can I grow,
Only as far as I seek can I go,
Only as deep as I look can I see,
Only as much as I dream can I be.

~Karen Ravn

*************************

From what we get, we can make a living;
what we give, however, makes a life.

~Arthur Ashe

As long as the Earth can make a spring every year, I can. As long as the Earth can flower and produce nurturing fruit, I can, because I'm the Earth. I won't give up until the Earth gives up.

--Alice Walker

Nice nice people.

In no particular order, I really like Arthur Ashe's words to live by ... the sentiment expressed in Alice Walker's words ... and Ellen's quote kind of sums up the theme of sorts between you three.


“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.”
- Groucho Marx.


If you ever ... ever ... wish to read a truly superb book that covers it allll ... give "Harpo Speaks" a read or two. It is the autobiography of Harpo Marx.

removed by author

Well, hey ... now. :o)

Welcome to the thread Gregg.

Just as an f.y.i. ... if you wish ... next time, that is ... there is a pure poetry thread ... here. Feel free to post, obviously.

That said ... I like your poem and think it fits in well on this thread too. :o)

A loving heart is the truest wisdom.

Charles Dickens


Sometimes it's the simplest quotes, you know ?

o_0

You talkin' to me? You ... talkin' to me?

Beautiful words Lauren. :o)

Let's see, think I can do simple ... as there is one that I really like and enjoy in the spirit of your above quote Lauren, and it is this:

"The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose."
- Hada Bejar.

:o)

"It is not our purpose to become each other; it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is."
-Hermann Hesse

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
-Mark Twain

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
- Author Unknown

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds".

-Albert Einstein

I received this in an email - and thought of this thread. :) Wise words.


Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

A sharp tongue can cut my own throat.

If I want my dreams to come true, I mustn't oversleep.

Of all the things I wear, my expression is the most important.

The best vitamin for making friends.... B1.

The happiness of my life depends on the quality of my thoughts.

The heaviest thing I can carry is a grudge.

One thing I can give and still keep...is my word.

I lie the loudest when I lie to myself.

If I lack the courage to start, I have already finished.

One thing I can't recycle is wasted time.

Ideas won't work unless ' I ' do.

My mind is like a parachute...it functions only when open.

The 10 commandments are not a multiple choice.

The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime! It is never too late to become what I might have been.

Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.

Friends are like balloons; once you let them go, you might not get them back. Sometimes we get so busy with our own lives and problems that we may not even notice that we've let them fly away. Sometimes we are so caught up in who's right and who's wrong that we forget what's right and wrong. Sometimes we just don't realize what real friendship means until it is too late.

well said Lyn:))

all true lyn and feel tears streaming down my face on the friends part......................................

"Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world." - Buddha.

*snif*

Ahhh ... here you go Twinkel ... *hands Twinkel a three-ply Kleenex with lotion*

/\ 'Tis the premium stuff, doncha know. :o)

thanx hon

*blows her nose, gives kleenex back..thanx*

LOL.

A poem by Francis Thompson:


All things
by immortal power
near or far
to each other
hiddenly linked are.
That thou cans't not stir a flower
without troubling a star.

nice:))