Words

Words have the power to both destroy and heal.

When words are both true and kind,

They can change our world.

--Buddha

Everything

I was raised Presbyterian. The unique thing about this denomination is we believe in predestination; we all have a destiny that is determined in advance - perhaps you know it as fate. Your free will enters when you are presented with the different options involved with that destiny. I also believe in karma - "what goes around comes around" - sometimes better known as "you reap what you sow."

Going along with these two beliefs is everything happens for a reason. You may not always understand the reasoning, but if you are patient long enough it will be revealed to you. It has been my experience that the happening is usually for the best.

Dues

Sooner or later we learn there are no free rides in life. When we are young, we cannot wait to grow up! It is a yearning we all experience. We are told to enjoy those young years because they will end all too soon. If we are fortunate, adulthood will inevitably arrive and we soon understand the saying, "I earned every grey hair I have."

There are no elevators to success; we all have to take the stairs - one step at a time.

Can't

One of my mom's favorite expressions was, "A person who says can't is a coward too lazy to try." For years this made absolutely no sense to me. Take a moment to give this expression a little thought, though, and it makes all the sense in the world.

We can do anything we want to do if we only believe we can and try. The very moment you tell yourself you "can't" do something then you have told yourself there is no reason to even try. You may tell yourself you can and later find out you cannot or you need help, but at least you tried!

I have been amazed over the years at the things I have discovered I can do simply because I told myself I can and tried. At times it did not work out exactly the way I planned; at times I needed assistance. At no time have I been a "coward too lazy to try."

"Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right."

~Henry Ford

Be Yourself

The only way to know who you are and what gives meaning to your life is to BE YOURSELF.

You are the one person in life you must please.

You are the only person in life that can create your happiness.

You cannot be the person others desire.

I once heard the following on Colin Cowherd's ESPN radio show "The Herd" while interviewing Tiger Woods:

"Those who mind don't matter.

Those who matter don't mind."

Aspire

To do good things in your life, you must first know who you are and what gives meaning to your life.

"Your aspirations are your possibilities."

~ Samuel Johnson

Life

Life is like a poker game.

Sometimes you deal the cards.

Sometimes you are dealt the cards.

It includes skill.

It includes luck.

You bet.

You check.

You bluff.

You raise.

You learn from those who play with you.

Sometimes you win with a pair.

Sometimes you lose with a full house.

But whatever happens ......

It's best to keep on shuffling along.

The ABC's of Life

I have been away for a while. Many different factors entered into my absence - many things I had to just work my way through, and I feel that I have finally completed that process.

Last week my family and I vacationed in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. If you've never been there, why on earth not? I've stated before on my blog that I find the water calming ...... I find the water peaceful. During many hours of just sitting and observing the surf and many long walks, I was able to think and sort through thoughts, emotions, much sadness, and anger.

Years ago I was in therapy for a little over a year. It was a taboo topic at that time and few people knew then or know now. As a matter of fact, I took my son completely off-guard the other night when we were chatting by telling him this. During those therapy sessions I learned two very important things:

1. There is absolutely nothing or no one I can change. All I can change is how I react and handle situations or individuals.

2. Sometimes, for me, it's simply best to exorcise people and situations from my life as a way of coping.

This is when I more or less developed two mantras for life:

1. I'm not in charge.

2. I truly have no opinion.

With all that said ...... I developed in my mind a new topic to periodically blog -- The ABC's of Life. With the help of my cousin I've developed a topic for each letter of the alphabet (there are some letters still without topics - hopefully I'll come up with something before I reach that point in the alphabet)!

They'll be intermingled here and there a little at a time! Stay tuned!