posted March 21, 2009 12:19 AM            

HOPE

This thread is for all of us who are going through rough times now, whether it is in our love lives, or our daily lives.. whether the problem is small or big.. No problem is insurmountable.

This thread aims to bring hope and uplift.. Let's work together to raise our spirits!! Please feel free to add your thoughts and messages..

*edited to add*
Don't be daunted by the size of the posts in here - there may seem to be a lot to read, but skim through, find even one post or one quote that is useful to you, and hold onto that..

posted March 21, 2009 12:38 AM            

18.When we are feeling happy on the inside, law of attraction is matching up the
inside of us, and bringing unlimited happiness to us. Law of attraction says, "Like attracts like".
We have to be the exact state on the inside of what we want
to bring on the outside. You can't complain and be miserable and expect your life to change. In that state
you are attracting more misery to yourself. You have to be the 'like' that you want to attract.

19.To create the life of your dreams, the time has come for you to love You. Focus on
Your joy. Do all the things that make You feel good. Love You, inside and out.
Everything will change in your life, when you change the inside of you. Allow the
Universe to give you every good thing you deserve, by being a magnet to them all. To
be a magnet for every single thing you deserve, you must be a magnet of love.

20.Focus on the beauty of our world, and on how magnificent it is. As more and more
people appreciate the beauty and focus on the beauty, our planet will receive that
energy and we will see the beauty manifesting everywhere.

21.After you ask for what you want, if you think that You have to make it happen, you
will experience feelings of doubt. Those feelings of doubt are telling you the 'how'
is not your job. Your job is to feel your dream inside. Then the Universe will move
people, circumstances, and events to bring about your dream. You have the intelligence
of the Universe permeated in every cell of your body. The activation of this almighty
power of all good comes through your awareness of it. The moment you are aware that
it is within you, you have consciously activated the greatest power in the Universe to work through you.

22.You are now receiving the knowledge that will enable you to create the most
magnificent version of You. The possibility of that version of you already exists on
the frequency of "the most magnificent version of You." Decide what you want to be, do
and have, think the thoughts of it, emit the frequency, and your vision will become
your life.

23.There is a mighty power in your heart. To experience this power firsthand, the next
time you are in a conversation with somebody, imagine that your words are coming
from your heart, rather than your mind. While speaking, stay focused on your
words coming from your heart. As you do this you will feel a wave of utter bliss
move through you. As you become practised, you will see the effect
of your heart on the person you are speaking with. The power of your
heart will also reach many others, as nothing can get in the way of its powerful radiation.

24.You can create anything you want, but to do that you must follow the principles of
the law. Eliminate all doubt and replace it with the full expectation that you will
receive what you are asking for. If you are not receiving what you are asking for, it
is not the law that has failed. It means that your doubt is greater than your faith.

25.As money comes to you, it must flow through you like the flow of a river, or the
flow of money will stop. Be the flow!

26.Competition is a form of separation. First, when you have thoughts of competition,
it is coming from a lack mentality, as you are saying there is a limited supply.
You are saying there is not enough for everybody, so we have to compete and fight to get things.
By the law of attraction, as you compete you will attract many people, circumstances, and events
to compete against You in every single aspect of your life. For your own wellbeing,
you have to get competition out of your mind and become a creative mind. Focus
only on your dreams, your visions and being the best that You can be!

27.How it will happen, how the Universe will bring it to you, is not your concern or
job. Allow the Universe to do it for you. When you are trying to work out how it will
happen, you are emitting a frequency that contains a lack of faith ~V that you don't
believe you have it already. You think you have to do it and you do not believe the
Universe will do it for you. The how is not your part in the Creative Process.

28. Most people feel powerless to help others, when in fact every single human being has a power
within them that, when directed properly, will help beyond anything else.
You can direct this power by focusing on people in difficult situations being in joy,
by imagining them in joy right now. Hold to the outcome of joy for them. By doing this,
you will cause the unfathomable Creative Power to move through you to bring them joy.

29. Failure only comes from a person not applying the law correctly. The law never
fails.

30. Every single human being is meant to be in joy. It is our natural state, and we
know it, because when we feel negative emotions we feel terrible. We want to be happy. And the biggest thing to realize is that happiness is a choice, because it is a
feeling generated from the inside of us. We have to make a decision to be happy on the
inside now, to magnetize a life of happiness on the outside.

31. There is not a single instance in history where hate has brought joy to human
beings. It is a negative force that serves only to destroy those who hold it in their
mind and body. If the majority of humanity released all hate, fear, and resentment,
wars would disappear from our planet.

32. To restore harmony into a relationship, focus on what you appreciate about the
other person, and not your complaints. When you focus on the wonderful things and you
appreciate those, you will be astounded at how many more things to appreciate suddenly
appear in the other person.

33. Disease is held in the body by thought, by observation of the illness, and by the
attention given to the illness. If you are feeling a little unwell, don't talk about
it ~V unless you want more of it. If you listen to people talk about their illness,
you add energy to their illness. Instead, change the conversation to good things, and
give powerful thoughts to seeing those people in health.

34. All stress begins with one negative thought. One thought that went unchecked, and then more thoughts
came and more, until stress manifested. The effect is stress, but
the cause was negative thinking, and it all began with one little negative thought.
No matter what you might have manifested, you can change it ~E
with one small positive thought and then another.

35. The only reason any person does not have enough money is because they are blocking money from coming to them with their thoughts. Every negative thought, feeling or emotion is blocking your good from coming to you, and that includes money. It is not that the money is being kept from you by the Universe, because all the money you require exists right now in the invisible. If you do not have enough, it is because you are stopping the flow of money coming to you, and you are doing that with your thoughts. You must tip the balance of your thoughts from lack-of-money to more-than-enough-money. Think more thoughts of abundance than of lack, and you have tipped the balance.

36.If you are complaining, the law of attraction will powerfully bring into your life more situations for you to complain about. If you are listening to someone else
complain and focusing on that, sympathizing with them, agreeing with them, in that
moment, you are attracting more complaining situations to yourself!

37.Think thoughts of perfection. Illness cannot exist in a body that has harmonious
thoughts. Know there is only perfection, and as you observe perfection you must summon that to you. Imperfect thoughts are the cause of all humanity's ills, including
disease, poverty, and unhappiness. When we think negative thoughts we are cutting
ourselves off from our rightful heritage. Declare and intend, "I think perfect
thoughts. I see only perfection. I am perfection."

38.Wherever you go, whoever you meet, and whatever you do, give love and appreciation,
because that is your true nature. How do you know it is your true nature? You feel so
good when you are giving it!

39.Do you think you can? You can achieve and do anything you want with this knowledge. In the past you may have underestimated how brilliant you are. Well, now you know you are the Supreme Mind and that you can draw anything you want from that One Supreme Mind. Any invention, any inspiration, any answer, anything. You can do anything you want. You are a genius beyond description. So start telling yourself that and become aware of who you really are.

40.Whatever you choose for You is right! You cannot get it wrong. If you have chosen
something for You, it is right! You cannot fail. It is impossible for you to fail,
because how can you fail at being You? You are the perfection of You, because nobody
else can be You. You have got You down pat! Do you appreciate that you are an
outstanding and total success at being You, right where you are now?

41.If you have 'needing money' in your vibration, then you will keep attracting
'needing money'. You have to find a way of being happy NOW, feeling good NOW, and
being in joy NOW, without the money. Once you can feel good NOW, even though you don't
have the money, it will come. Make a decision that you are going to do everything you can to be as happy as you can in every moment. You will be amazed at how the Universe will flood so many things into your life that will continue to make you happy - including money.

42.I am asked very often by all types of people how to stop negative thoughts. The
answer is so simple: plant good thoughts! As you plant more and more good thoughts,
the negative thoughts will be wiped out. Don't focus on the negative thoughts, just
deliberately think more good thoughts every day.

43.The Universe wants to give you so much, if you could just let it in. To let it in,
slow down. To let it in, relax. To let it in, unwind. To let it in, be calm. To let it
in, let go. You are now letting it in.

44.Praise and bless everything in the world, and you will dissolve negativity and
discord and align yourself with the highest frequency ~V love.

45.You do not have to erase negative thoughts you have had. All you have to do is feel good and think good thoughts right now, and you will shift yourself to a completely different frequency where no negativity exists. No matter what you have thought in the past, whether ten years ago or one minute ago, NOW is where all your power is. Right NOW you can use your power and shift yourself. When you know this, you can move through your life without fear or regrets, because you can always think good thoughts NOW.

46.So what are you feeling now? Take a few moments to think about how you feel. If
you're not feeling as good as you'd like to, focus on feeling your feelings inside and purposefully lift them. As you focus intensely on your feelings, with the intention to lift yourself, you can powerfully elevate them. One way is to close your eyes (shutting out distractions). Focus on your feelings inside, and smile for one minute.

47.Remind your children constantly, through your words, that they are unlimited ~V
that they can have anything, do anything, and be anything they want. Remind them to
speak of what they want and to focus on that. When they say they don't want something, ask them what they do want. Always bring them back to what they want. Embrace each of your children as the unique being that they are, and rejoice in their freedom to express themselves. Allow them to learn their own lessons, and know within yourself that everything is unfolding for them perfectly.

48.The earth turns on its orbit for you. The oceans ebb and flow for you. The birds
sing for you. The sun rises and it sets for you. The stars come out for you. Every
beautiful thing you see, every wondrous thing you experience, is all there, for you.
Take a look around. None of it can exist, without you. No matter who you thought you
were, now you know the Truth of Who You Really Are. You are the master of the
Universe. You are the heir to the kingdom. You are the perfection of Life. And now you
know The Secret. May the joy be with you.

49.Human beings are made up of two things; their beliefs and the truth. When you let
go of your beliefs, you will see more of the truth. The greatest human beings who have ever lived, had the courage to let go of beliefs, and they became the truth. They
showed us the way.

50.The truth is that the Universe has been answering you all of your life, but you
cannot receive the answers unless you are aware. Be aware of everything around you,
because you are receiving the answers to your questions in every moment of the day.
The channels those answers can come through are unlimited. They could be delivered in
the form of a newspaper headline that attracts your attention, or overhearing someone speaking, or a song on the radio, or signage on a truck passing by, or receiving a sudden inspiration. Remember to remember, and become aware.

51.Action is a word that can imply "work" to some people, but inspired action will not
feel like work at all. The difference between inspired action and action is this:
Inspired action is where you are acting to receive. If you are in action to try and
make it happen, you have slipped backward. Inspired action is effortless, and it feels
wonderful because you are on the frequency of receiving.

52.The only way we can feel love is through our heart, and so the most powerful way to
maximize our positive feelings is also through our heart. As we deliberately intensify our feelings through our heart, we are connecting ourselves to the Supreme Love, Power, and Wisdom that is the Universe. The Universe is continually making everything we want available to us, and our heart tunes us into the frequency of it all.

53.It is the joy within that creates a magnificent life on the outside. It doesn't
matter where you are, what you are doing, who you are with, or what is happening
around you, you take the joy with you.

54.Can you consider for just a moment that there are wonderful things ahead for you?
Can you put total trust and faith in the Universe and know you are so loved and that
everything that happens is all happening FOR you? Because that is absolutely the case.

55.You can turn waiting into a powerful time to create your future life. Next time you are in a situation where you are waiting, seize that time and imagine having all the things you want. You can do this anywhere, anytime. Turn every life situation into a positive one.

56.The easiest way to transform every aspect of your life on the outside is to
dedicate yourself to feeling more and more gratitude every day within you. Whenever
you think of it, feel deep feelings of gratitude. Intensify the feelings with the love in your heart, and through the law of attraction your life will be transformed into the beauty that you have become on the inside.

57.If some situation occurs that affects your state of joy, repeat to yourself, "All
good is coming from this situation." And it will. Learn from each experience. You will
find after experiencing a challenging situation, your level of joy will be higher than it has ever been before. Isn't that a good thing?

58.There is not a single instance in history where hate has brought joy to human
beings. It is a negative force that serves only to destroy those who hold it in their
mind and body. If the majority of humanity released all hate, fear, and resentment,
wars would disappear from our planet.

59.We are each creating our lives through our thoughts and feelings, and so you cannot
hold yourself responsible for someone else's happiness. It is impossible for you to be responsible for anybody else, because you cannot jump inside someone else and think and feel for them Focus on your joy, and be an inspiration to everyone around you.

60.When you are in complete harmony with the Universe, which is all good, then you
have tapped into the greatest power there is to support you. To harmonize yourself
with the Universe and allow all good to flood into your life, speak good words, plant good thoughts, and generate good feelings.

61.To become more aware of your thoughts you can set the intention "I am the master of my thoughts." Say it often, give thanks for it being done, and as you hold to it
emphatically, by the law of attraction you must become that.

62.We are not able to see the bigger picture of our lives, but the Universe or the Creative Power can see it all. Sometimes we think that something is right for us, but when it doesn't unfold the way we thought, have faith in the Universe that it is matching up all of our inner desires and marrying them into every aspect of our lives.

63.Unless you fill yourself up first, you have nothing to give anybody. Therefore it
is imperative that you tend to you first. Attend to your joy first. People are
responsible for their own joy. When you tend to your joy and do what makes you feel
good, you are a joy to be around and you are a shining example to every child and
every person in your life. When you are feeling joy you don't even have to think about giving. It is a natural overflow.

64.There is a huge difference between inspired action and busying yourself with
activity in trying to make things happen. When you are busying yourself with activity
because you don't believe the Universe is working with you, everything is hard and
feels like a struggle. You feel as though you are pushing against the current of the
river and getting nowhere. You feel exhausted, things begin to go wrong, and it feels like nothing is going your way. But when you are working consciously with the
intelligence of the Universe, everything is effortless. All your needs to accomplish
your vision are met, and you are in a flow that is indescribable.

65.If you are feeling really good, negative thoughts and words are not on the same
frequency as you, so you don't even have to try to stop them because all good things
just pour out of you. So, the fastest way to be more positive is to watch how you are
feeling, rather than trying to monitor your thoughts and words. You are the only one
who has control of your feelings, so start to get in touch with how you are feeling,
and then deliberately focus on intensifying a good feeling within you.

66.You only have to tip the balance of your thoughts and feelings to positive to
dramatically transform your life. You do not have to make every thought and word
positive. As you tip the balance to positive, law of attraction is right there helping you, because like thoughts attract like thoughts. When you are having good thoughts you are on the frequency of attracting more good thoughts. Of course when you are having bad thoughts you will attract more bad thoughts, so at those times it is important to distract yourself and think of something that makes you feel good.

67.Live your dream in your heart and let the Universe move everything to bring your
dream to you. Feel your dream, feel the presence of the Universe inside you, KNOW that the Universe is with you, guiding you, and then allow the Universe to realize your
dream.

68.As you become more and more aware of how you are feeling, you will become more
aware of your words and thoughts. It gets easier and easier. And so you when you hear
yourself say something you don't want, just restate what it is you do want. For
example, a common thing that people say is, "I am tired". If you say that with the
whole day ahead of you, you are ordering up from the universe a tough day full of
fatigue. So I would change those words to something like, "I am now drawing in
unlimited energy. I am feeling more energized with every second. I feel amazing." All of your power with the law of attraction is now, and by intensely feeling what you want, you can change anything.

69.A shift to dominant thoughts and feelings of love and gratitude is the answer for all unwanted things. Negativity in any form cannot exist in an energy field of love and gratitude.

70.Every night before you go to sleep, give sincere thanks for the day. Then intend
your next day to be joyous, effortless, and wonderful. On waking in the morning,
confirm your intention that your day will be magnificent! As you are creating every
one of your days, if you don't intend your day in advance then you are handing it over
to the whims and energies of mass consciousness. Don't put your day in the hands of others - create your own magnificent day.

71.We are One. We are all connected and we are all part of the One Energy Field, or
the One Supreme Mind, or the One Consciousness, or the One Creative Source. Call it whatever you want, but we are all One. As you think negative thoughts about another you are separating yourself from the One, and your negative thoughts will return to harm only You. You have been given free will to choose, but when you think negative thoughts and have negative feelings, you are separating yourself from the One and All Good.

72.No matter what you have manifested in regards to your body, you can change it ~V
inside and out. Start thinking happy thoughts and start being happy. Happiness is a feeling state of being. You have your finger on the "feeling happy" button. Press it now and keep your finger pressed down on it firmly, no matter what is happening around you.

73.Fear is the most debilitating emotion that there is, and every one of us can live a life without fear. The key to absolute freedom and joy for each and every one of us is to let go of fear. When you understand that fear puts you on a frequency of attracting more fearful events and circumstances into your life, you will understand how important it is to shift yourself. People are in fear of being late, of losing their
job, of paying the bills, of getting sick, and the list goes on. But the fear of those
things is actually summoning them to us. Law of attraction is impersonal, and whatever we focus on with feeling is bringing it to us. When fearful thoughts come, stamp them out immediately. Send them on their way and replace them with anything that makes you feel good.

74.Begin to use the two most powerful words, I AM, to your advantage. How about, "I AM receiving every good thing. I AM happy. I AM abundant. I AM healthy. I AM love. I AM always on time. I AM eternal youth. I AM filled with energy every single day."

75.Every single person deserves to live a wonderful life, and they have the power to
do that through the law of attraction. When you tend to your happiness and joy,
something wonderful happens. You begin to overflow with joy, and every single person
that you come into contact with is touched by your joy. One person in joy brings so
much joy to the world through the magnificent matrix of our Universe. The power within each of us is unfathomable when focused in the direction of all good for all.

76.You have a choice right now. Do you want to believe that it's just the luck of the
draw and bad things can happen to you at any time? Do you want to believe that you can be in the wrong place at the wrong time? That you have no control over circumstances? Or do you want to believe and know that your life experience is in your hands and that only all good can come into your life because that of the way you think? You have a choice, and whatever you choose to think will become your life experience.

77.A powerful way to attract money is to start to give. Give wherever you can. It does not have to be money, but if you can even give one dollar it starts the flow of money. You can give in many other ways which are equally powerful. Give love and appreciation to people. Give gratitude for what you have. Give a helping hand, a kind gesture, a smile, and the best of yourself to everyone you meet. As you take action through sincere giving, the law of attraction will respond and you will be given to in every area of your life through people, circumstances, and events. You cannot trick the law of attraction. Your giving must be sincere and you must feel it in your heart.

posted March 21, 2009 02:01 AM              

"One must have gold to make gold." ~ Alchemical Proverb

But where does gold come from? God's Grace is always the motivating spark.

We can exhaust ourselves trying to prepare the ground, but, if it is not God's time,
and if God does not grant the seed, then there can be no growth, and no harvest.

posted March 21, 2009 12:16 PM            

Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly....Inspirational Quotes by Langston Hughes

"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal."....Inspirational Quotes by (Unknown)

"where the willlingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great"

"I know it seems hard sometimes, but remember one thing, through every dark night, there's a bright day after that. So no matter how hard it gets, keep your chest out, keep your head up and handle it."....Inspirational Quotes by Tupac

"Start writing a new chapter, for if you live by the book you'll never make history."....Inspirational Quotes by (Ben Sobel)

"Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart."....Inspirational Quotes by (Confucius)

Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things....Inspirational Quotes by (Antonio Smith).

"Failure is taking the path that everyone else does, success is making your own path."....Inspirational Quote by (Unknown).

"Success is determined by how determined you are to succeed."....Inspirational Quotes by Unknown.

"The things you fear are undefeatable, not by their nature, but by your approach."....Inspirational Quote by Jewel.

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the things you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."....Inspirational Quotes by Mark Twain.

When you chose not to decide you have already made a choice!....Inspirational Quotes by Unknown.

"Confidence comes not from always being right, but from not fearing to be wrong."

Whatever is to be will be!....Inspirational Quotes by Anon)

You create your own destiny....by Anon

Happiness is not a destination in which you arrive, it is your journey there.

"If you haven't all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don't have that you wouldn't want."....Inspirational Quotes by Anonymous.

"People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges."....Inspirational Quotes by Unknown.

Work like you don't need the money, Love like you've never been hurt, And dance like no-one's watching....Inspirational Quotes by Anonymous.

"Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never in nothing, great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense."....Inspirational Quotes by Churchill.

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."....Inspirational Quotes by Churchill.

"Cherish your wishes and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul and the blueprints of your ultimate achievement."....Inspirational Quotes by Unknown.

"Things today may not be great, but they are not bad, and that's good."! - Inspirational Posters

Like the light in the dark of dismal night, Let your self stand out as glowing, warm, and welcome....Inspirational Quotes Quote by Validivar.

It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference....Inspirational Quotes by Tom Brokaw.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace....Inspirational Quotes by Unknown.

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life - it goes on....Inspirational Quotes by Robert Frost.

One who makes no mistakes never makes anything....Inspirational Quotes by Unknown.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step....Inspirational Quotes by Miyamoto Musashi.

Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm....Inspirational Quotes by Unknown.

Come to the edge....We can't, we are afraid....Come to the edge....We can't, we will fall ....And they came to the edge....And he pushed them....And they flew....Inspirational Quotes by Appolinaire.

"Conquering any difficulty always gives one a secret joy, for it means pushing back a boundary-line and adding to one's liberty."....Inspirational Quotes by Henri Frederic Amiel.

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."....Inspirational Quotes by Dale Carnegie

posted March 21, 2009 12:21 PM            

Sometimes even to live is an act of courage....Seneca.

Courage is the price that Life exacts for granting peace....Amelia Earhart.

Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment....Napoleon I.

This is courage in a man: to bear unflinchingly what heaven sends....Euripedes.

posted March 21, 2009 12:23 PM            

Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory....William Barclay.

The victory of endurance born....William Cullen Bryant.

posted March 21, 2009 12:30 PM            

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't....Henry Ward Beecher.

Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little....Plutarch.

The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication....Cecil B. De Mille.

Patience and tenacity of purpose are worth more than twice their weight of cleverness....Thomas Henry Huxley.

Vitality shows in not only the ability to persist but the ability to start over....F. Scott Fitzgerald.

posted March 21, 2009 01:36 PM            

an affirmation

posted March 21, 2009 01:50 PM              

was that one pic from Stargate?

Well, I did what you said and skimmed (thank you for the great thread btw) and what jumped at me was:

SOMETIME YOU HAVE TO STOP THINKING SO MUCH AND GO WHERE YOUR HEART TAKES YOU.

posted March 21, 2009 03:17 PM            

DD, so that was your message then.. it WAS meant for you! Check out LOA #50 above; doesn't it fit perfectly?

Which pic did you think was from Stargate? Is it the Education one? - does seem that way, doesn't it? I did find SO many Trekkie motivational posters when I was hunting; they were hilarious, but some slightly demotivational, so they didn't make the cut! I like the one where the guy's reaching up for the Sun & seems to have a firm hold on it!

posted March 21, 2009 03:46 PM            

When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high;
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

posted March 21, 2009 03:49 PM            

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

posted March 21, 2009 03:51 PM            

It takes strength to be firm,
It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to conquer,
It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain,
It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in,
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain,
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to endure abuse,
It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone,
It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love,
It takes courage to be loved.

posted March 22, 2009 11:02 AM              

"No-one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

Eleanor Roosevelt

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain."

Kahill Gilbran

"Faith is an oasis in the heart which will never be reached by the caravan of thinking."

Kahill Gilbran

posted March 22, 2009 11:10 AM              

quote:

---

"Sometimes even to live is an act of courage." ~ Seneca

---

Seneca is one of my favorite writers.

He had such a deep, genuine balance of realism and idealism.

"When it becomes impossible to live well,
it becomes possible to die well."

"Be not too hasty either with praise or blame;
speak always as though you were giving evidence
before the judgement-seat of the Gods."

"He who spares the wicked injures the good."

"Fate rules the affairs of mankind with no recognizable order."

"It is a denial of justice not to stretch out a helping hand to the fallen; that is the common right of humanity."

"Desultory reading is delightful,
but to be beneficial, our reading must be carefully directed."

posted March 22, 2009 11:28 AM              

They are not merely realizations being summed-up,
but, they are also flagposts at the frontier of thinking.

If we do not use them as stepping stones, rather than monuments,
we gaze up at giants, when we might stand on their shoulders, and see farther.

quote:

---

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy
is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't...
~ Henry Ward Beecher

---

This one is interesting.

Seems like it would be a matter of perspective.

Like,
"The difference between a reason and an excuse is,
we provide reasons while other people make excuses."

Every person I can think of who has championed a revolutionary idea
was branded "obstinate" by contemporaries and "persevering" by historians.

Who habitually says "Yes" to God, habitually says "No" to men.

Was it Jesus' will, or his won't, that refused to give the lie?

Maybe only time will tell.

posted March 22, 2009 11:40 AM              

in equal parts,

open minds and open hearts.