Looking At Each Day

Looking At Each Day
She is 92 years old, petite, well poised, and proud.
She is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock,
with her hair fashionably coifed, and her makeup
perfectly applied, in spite of the fact she is legally
blind.

Today she has moved to a nursing home. Her husband of
70 years recently passed away, making this move
necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of
the nursing home, where I am employed, she smiled
sweetly when told her room was ready. As she
maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a
visual description of her tiny room, including the
eyelet curtains that had been hung on her window.

"I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an
eight-year-old having just been presented with a new
puppy.

"Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room...just wait," I
said.

Then she spoke these words that I will never forget:

"That does not have anything to do with it," she
gently replied. "Happiness is something you decide on
ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not, does not
depend on how the furniture is arranged. It is how I
arrange my mind. I have already decided to love it.

It is a decision I make every morning when I wake up.
I have a choice. I can spend the day in bed recounting
the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that
no longer work, or I can get out of bed and be
thankful for the ones that do work. Each day is a
gift, and as long as my eyes open, I will focus on the
new day and all of the happy memories I have stored
away...just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what
you have already put in.

I believe-
that our background and circumstances may have
influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who
we become.

I believe-
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to
hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive
them for that.

I believe-
that just because someone doesn't love you the way you
want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all
they have.

I believe-
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the
longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I believe-
that it's taking me a long time to become the person I
want to be.

I believe-
that you should always leave loved ones with loving
words. It may be the last time you see them.

I believe-
that you can keep going, long after you can't.

I believe-
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how
we feel.

I believe-
that either you control your attitude or it controls
you.

I believe-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done, regardless of the
consequences.

I believe-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe-
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing
and have the best time.

I believe-
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when
you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.


I believe-
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be
angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.


I believe-
that maturity has more to do with what types of
experiences you've had and what you've learned from
them and less to do with how many birthdays you've
celebrated.

I believe-
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world
doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe-
that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean
they don't love each other. And just because they
don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I believe-
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.

I believe-
that two people can look at the exact same thing and
see something totally different.

I believe-
that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by
people who don't even know you.

I believe-
that even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you
you will find the strength to help.

I believe-
that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent
human being.

I believe-
that the people you care about most in life are taken
from you too soon.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
...one old love she can imagine
going back to... and one who reminds
her how far she has come...
...enough money within her
control to move out and rent a place
of her own even if she never wants
to or needs to...
...something perfect to wear if
the employer or date of her dreams
wants to see her in an hour...

...a youth she's content to
leave behind...

...a past juicy enough that
she's looking forward to retelling it
in her old age...

...a set of screwdrivers, a
cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

...one friend who always makes
her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

...a good piece of furniture
not previously owned by anyone else
in her family...

...eight matching plates, wine
glasses with stems, and a recipe
for a meal that will make her
guests feel honored..

.......a feeling of control over
her destiny...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
...how to fall in love without
losing herself...

...how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend
without ruining the friendship...

...when to try harder... and
when to walk away...

...that she can't change the
length of her calves, the width of
her hips, or the nature of her
parents...

...that her childhood may not
have been perfect... but its over...

...what she would and wouldn't
do for love or more...

...how to live alone... even if
she doesn't like it...
...whom she can trust, whom she
can't, and why she shouldn't take
it personally...

..where to go... be it to her
best friend's kitchen table... or a
charming inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

...what she can and can't
accomplish in a day... a month...and
a year...

A Creed to Live by

...A Creed to Live by...

Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Do not set your goals by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you.
~才
Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
~才
Do not give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Do not be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
~才
Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.
The fastest way to lose love is too hold it too tightly.
In addition, the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
~才
Do not dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope.
To be without hope is to be without purpose.
~才Do not run through life so fast that you forget not only where you have been, but also where you are going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.

Keep Believing in Yourself

Keep Believing in Yourself
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There may be days
when you get up in the morning
and things aren't the way
you had hoped they would be.
That's when you have to
tell yourself that things will get better.
There are times when people
disappoint you and let you down,
but those are the times
when you must remind yourself
to trust your own judgments and opinions,
to keep your life focused on believing in yourself
and all that you are capable of.
There will be challenges to face
and changes to make in your life,
and it is up to you to accept them.
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Constantly keep yourself headed
in the right direction for you.
It may not be easy at times,
but in those times of struggle
you will find a stronger sense of who you are,
and you will also see yourself
developing into the person
you have always wanted to be.
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Life is a journey through time,
filled with many choices;
each of us will experience life
in our own special way.
So when the days come that are filled
with frustration and unexpected responsibilities,
remember to believe in yourself
and all you want your life to be,
because the challenges and changes
will only help you to find the dreams
that you know are meant to come true for you
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Love's Risk

There is a risk involved in everything
Everytime you share a smile
Everytime you shed a tear
You are opening yourself up to hurt.

Some people tread slowly through life,
Avoiding the closeness risk brings,
Side-stepping the things they can't understand
Turning away from those who care too much-
Those who care too long,
Those who hold too tightly.
There is never an easy way to love
You can not approach it cautiously
It will not wait for you to arm yourself.
It does not care if you turn away
It is everywhere, it is everything.
Love is the greatest of all risks.
It is not reliable, it is not cautious,
It is not sympathetic
It is unprejudiced and unmerciliess.
It strikes the strongest of mind,
And brings them to their knees in one blow.
Even in the best of times, love hurts.
It hurts to need, it hurts to belong,
It hurts to be the other part of someone else,
Without either of your consent.
But, from the moment it overtakes you,
It hurts worse to be all alone.
The risk of love never depletes;
It grows stronger and more dangerous with time.
But, it's in the total surrender of all defense,
That we, no matter weak or strong,
No matter willing or captive,
No matter what, we truly experience love.
Despite the many things love is not,
Outweighing it all are the things that love is.
Love is surrender without a loss.
It is a gift without the cost.
It consumes your every thought & desire,
Every breath you take.
It is the fire that fuels you
To do more than pass through life;
It urges you, instead, to live.
No matter the outcome, having felt love,
You will never be the same.
It may scar your heart & soul
And Leave you only memories of forever.
Or, it may cause every day of your life
To feel like there is no need for tomorrow.
But, love is worth it. It is worth the risk...
For in all of life,
Love is truly the only risk worth taking.

~Kris Hydmore
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just Touch Me

~ Just Touch Me ~

If I am your child,
Please touch me.
Persist;
Find ways to meet my needs.
Your goodnight hug helps sweeten my dreams.
Your daytime touching tells me how
you really feel.


If I am your teenager,
Please touch me.
Don't think because I'm almost grown,
I don't need to know that you still care.
I need your loving arms;
I need a tender voice.

If I am your friend,
Please touch me.
Nothing lets me know you care
like a warm embrace.
A healing touch when I'm depressed
assures me I am loved,
And reassures me that I'm not alone.
Yours may be the only comforting touch I get.

If I am your life's partner,
Please touch me.
You may think that your passion is enough,
But only your arms hold back my fears.
I need your tender reassuring touch,
To remind me I am loved
just because I am me.

If I am your grown-up child,
Please touch me.
Though I may have a family
of my own to hold,
I still need Mommy's and Daddy's
arms when I hurt.
As a parent the view is different;
I appreciate you more.


If I am your aging parent,
Please touch me.
Hold my hand, sit close to me,
give me strength,
And warm my tired body
with your nearness.
Although my skin is worn and wrinkled,
It loves to be stroked.
Don't be afraid,

~ Just Touch Me ~

"Time flies," everyone says....

"Time flies," everyone says. It's frightening sometimes to look in the mirror and see the evidence of that. So often, we don't take a moment to say what's in our hearts, and then, when it's too late, we wish we had. I'm taking a moment now, Mom, to tell you this... When I was a child, there was so much I couldn't understand, like how hard you worked and how much you sacrificed for our family. There were dreams you had to put on hold and dreams that never came true. You must have felt frustrated sometimes, no doubt, and at times even full of despair. Yet you never gave less than your best to us. You didn't have an exciting career or beautiful clothes. You never traveled the world or drove a fancy car. Every day, you looked after us, worried about us, fed us, and loved us, without expecting anything in return. You see, Mom, I know now and understand that you actually gave me two lives: my own... and yours. -- Cheryl Van Gieson I Love You Forever, Mom... You have shown me how to give of myself You have shown me leadership You have taught me to be strong You have taught me the importance of the family You have demonstrated unconditional love You have demonstrated a sensitivity to people's needs You have handed down to me the important values in life You have handed down to me the idea of achieving one's goals You have set an example, throughout your life of what an ideal mother and woman should be like I am so proud of you and I love you forever Poem by Susan Polis Schutz