Daily Quote

You can't teach leadership. It is something that people have to learn. You can't force someone to be a leader. It is something they have to do on their own. Leadership is special in that way, it is something that one has to realize for themselves. Whether they have it, or they don't. Either way, it can only be learned, not taught. 

Quote of the day

"Habit is a cable; we weave a thread of it each day, and at last we cannot break it."

-Horace Mann

Habits need to be broken early on. Otherwise, you will be so used to doing it that you won't be able to break them. Every time you do your habit, you strengthen it. And the stronger it is, the harder it will be to break. So break your cable now before it becomes too much to handle.

Quote of the day

"Failure is success if we learn from it."

-Malcolm Forbes

If you learn from your mistakes, then it isn't a failure. You gain the knowledge to do better in the future, and you can put that knowledge to the test for the next time. So don't give up when you 'fail.' Just do it differently the next time you get the chance to.

Daily Quote

You may think that someone doesn't deserve your kindness. They might be mean, or maybe annoying, or maybe they are just not your favorite person. But kindness is loving people more than they deserve. It is hard, I know. It's not exactly easy to be kind to the person who just punched you in the gut and knocked the wind out of you. Even with all of the things people may do, we need to stick together and be kind. The lack of kindness is what started all of those unnecessary wars and such we've had throughout history. All it takes is one mean comment or action, a mean response, and the cycle of bad begins. So stop that cycle from becoming too intense. Stop it right there in it's tracks. When someone is mean to you, be kind to them. Not only will it save you from fighting, but it will show them that you mean peace. And at the very least, the person will realize you aren't going to let yourself get picked on, so they will stop bothering you. 

Daily Story

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk.

He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”

“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.”

He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She began to read the following words:

“Paid in full with one glass of milk”

Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.

Quote of the day

"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough."

-Meister Eckhart

Prayer really is simple- most of it is made up of 'thank you.' And 'thank you' is the most important part. Say your thank you's to show people that you care, and that you are actually thankful. When you aren't thankful for things, people will stop giving things to you or doing things for you. Express your gratitude. And in prayers, express your gratitude, too. If I am ever doing a prayer before going to bed, I always open it up with saying thank you's to God. No matter how bad a day it was and no matter what I am praying for. And it is hard, saying thank you. But trust me, learning to say it is rewarding. For one, you get used to it and thanking people for their actions becomes a normal part of routine. It is also great because it shows that you care. So don't forget your please and thank you next time they are needed, because these aspects to manners are incredibly important.

Quote of the day

Here is a little bit of a joke quote for you. Of course, procrastination is not good. But it is, in fact, the art of keeping up with what you didn't get done before. For those of you procrastinators out there- (don't worry, I am a bit of one myself), be sure you can still manage your workload. Just be able to keep up with what you are doing with a safe amount of time left to spare.

Just a little tip of the day and a bit of a joke too. :)

Daily Quote

It takes people years to realize this. A lifetime even. Some don't end up ever realizing this. But only you can figure out how much you are worth. I know this for a fact. I waited around my whole life waiting for someone to finally explain how much or how little I was worth, but I finally realized that I needed to determine that for myself. Everyone has worth. We are all equal in God's eyes. But the factor of yourself believing in your own worth, well that is how you figure it out. You can't always put yourself down. You need to believe and trust your worth, and it will shine out like a ray of sunshine through the clouds. After that, you will be able to direct that ray of sunshine into the hearts and minds of others to help others realize for themselves what they are truly worth.

Daily Quote

"How beautiful the leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days."

-John Burroughs

Be like the leaf, and age beautifully. Of course, appearance isn't really controllable, but age beautifully within. Don't become the cranky old man down the street or the grumpy handbag old lady you see around. Even with age, continue to shine your light onto the life of others. Think of your age more as wisdom, not old age where you aren't able to do anything. Continue to spread your light, no matter how crumbled a leaf you are. You can still make a difference. In fact, you can do more. You have the wisdom and experience to do it, so get out there and be the most beautiful multicolored leaf on the branch.

Quote of the day

"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."

-Indira Gandhi

This quote has a few different layers to it, so let's go ahead and dive right in. One of the layers to this quote is the matter of peace. You cannot make peace if you don't let it go. Holding on to that thought and never letting it go will make you hostile. It will also make the peace you try to make completely untruthful, a total lie. Another layer is that, with win or with loss, you must forgive. You must be a good sportsman and be positive no matter what the outcome is. If you lose, don't clench your fists and storm away in an angry puff. Just relax, shake hands, and move on. Earlier, I had thought of another layer to this- but now, I have forgotten it. Just remember to be peaceful through fairness and forgiveness and not through hostility. Because after all, you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.

Quote of the day

"Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable."

-Franz Kafka

Everyone wants to fit in with the crowd. Everyone wants to feel accepted. And, especially in younger ages, people take things to a whole new level to be accepted. Even adults do. But teens in high school tend to do the most of trying to be accepted- even if it means doing illegal things. What they don't realize is that the best people are the people who did what was right instead of being accepted, even if it meant being the most unpopular kid in school. These are the people that turn out to be huge successes in life. So no matter where you are in life, it isn't too late to do the right thing. 

Conflicts will naturally show up. That's all part of life. But knowing how to deal with them is what distinguishes the good man from the precipitous one.

Daily Story

Please enjoy this story about a young puppy. It shows that even though the puppy may be deformed, there is always hope.
-LifeOO

It had been a very long night. Our black cocker spaniel ‘Precious’ was having a difficult delivery. I lay on the floor beside her large four-foot square cage, watching her every movement. Watching and waiting, just in case I had to rush her to the veterinarian. After six hours the puppies started to appear. The first-born was black and white. The second and third puppies were tan and brown in color. The fourth and fifth were also spotted black and white. “One, two, three, four, five,” I counted to myself as I walked down the hallway to wake my wife, Judy, and tell her that everything was fine. As we walked back down the hallway and into the spare bedroom, I noticed a sixth puppy had been born and was now laying all by itself over to the side of the cage. I picked up the small puppy and laid it on top of the large pile of puppies, who were whining and trying to nurse on the mother. Precious immediately pushed the small puppy away from rest of the group. She refused to recognize it as a member of her family. “Something’s wrong,” said Judy. I reached over and picked up the puppy. My heart sank inside my chest when I saw the little puppy had a cleft lip and palate and could not close its little mouth. I decided right there and then that if there was any way to save this animal I was going to give it my best shot. I took the puppy to the vet and was told nothing could be done unless we were willing to spend about a thousand dollars to try and correct the defect. He told us that the puppy would die mainly because it could not suckle. After returning home, Judy and I decided that we could not afford to spend that kind of money without getting some type of assurance from the vet that the puppy had a chance to live. However, that did not stop me from purchasing a syringe and feeding the puppy by hand. Which I did every day and night, every two hours, for more than ten days. The little puppy survived and learned to eat on his own as long as it was soft canned food. The fifth week I placed an ad in the newspaper, and within a week we had people interested in all of the pups, except the one with the deformity. Late one afternoon I went to the store to pick up a few groceries. Upon returning I happened to see the old retired schoolteacher, who lived across the street from us, waving at me. She had read in the paper that we had puppies and was wondering if she might get one from us for her grandson and his family. I told her all the puppies had found homes, but I would keep my eyes open for anyone else who might have an available cocker spaniel. I also mentioned that if someone should change their mind, I would let her know. Within days, all but one of the puppies had been picked up by their new families. This left me with one brown and tan cocker as well as the smaller puppy with the cleft lip and palate. Two days passed without me hearing anything from the gentleman who had been promised the tan and brown pup. I telephoned the schoolteacher and told her I had one puppy left and that she was welcome to come and look at it. She advised me that she was going to pick up her grandson and would come over at about eight o’clock that evening. That night at around seven-thirty, Judy and I were eating supper when we heard a knock on the front door. When I opened the door, the man who had wanted the tan and brown pup was standing there. We walked inside, took care of the adoption details and I handed him the puppy. Judy and I did not know what we would do or say when the teacher showed up with her grandson. At exactly eight o’clock the doorbell rang. I opened the door, and there was the schoolteacher with her grandson standing behind her. I explained to her the man had come for the puppy after all, and there were no puppies left. “I’m sorry, Jeffery. They found homes for all the puppies,” she told her grandson. Just at that moment, the small puppy left in the bedroom began to yelp. “My puppy! My puppy!” yelled the little boy as he ran out from behind his grandmother. I just about fell over when I saw that the small child also had a cleft lip and palate. The boy ran past me as fast as he could, down the hallway to where the puppy was still yelping. When the three of us made it to the bedroom, the small boy was holding the puppy in his arms. He looked up at his grandmother and said, “Look, Grandma. They found homes for all the puppies except the pretty one, and he looks just like me.” The schoolteacher turned to us, “Is this puppy available?” “Yes,” I answered. “That puppy is available.” The little boy, who was now hugging the puppy, chimed in, “My grandma told me these kind of puppies are real expensive and that I have to take real good care of it.” The lady opened her purse, but I reached over and pushed her hand back down into her purse so that she would not pull her wallet out. “How much do you think this puppy is worth?” I asked the boy. “About a dollar?” “No. This puppy is very, very expensive,” he replied. “More than a dollar?” I asked. “I’m afraid so,” said his grandmother. The boy stood there pressing the small puppy against his cheek. “We could not possibly take less than two dollars for this puppy,” Judy said, squeezing my hand. “Like you said, it’s the pretty one.” The schoolteacher took out two dollars and handed it to the young boy. “It’s your dog now, Jeffery. You pay the man.” Still holding the puppy tightly, the boy proudly handed me the money. Any worries I’d had about the puppy’s future were gone.

Daily Quote

"Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence."

-Hal Borland

Trees are patient. They slowly grow stronger and taller, patiently. They continue to grow, even when they are done with growth in height. They grow leaves every season, and they grow limbs. They are so patient that they are willing to spend up to a couple thousand years perfecting their beauty.

Grass is persistent. Even when it is chopped down, it springs right back up again and grows quickly.

So be like a tree, and be patient. Everything will turn out ok, and most things take a bit of patience. Don't worry, just keep calm and be patient. Also be like grass- when others cut you down, jump right back onto your feet, brush off your shoulders, and move on in life. Revenge never did much more then getting people dead at war. Of course, that is only major major revenge between big lands and lords, but arguments never get anyone anywhere. So just be persistent and get up again. Everything will be ok! Just remember the tree, and be patient... Then remember the grass and keep on trying.

Quote of the day

"It is not happy people who are thankful. It is thankful people who are happy."

-Unknown

People who are thankful tend to be happier. They understand what they have, and that they are fortunate because not everyone has what they do. They are more compassionate, because they know what others are going through. They understand people better because they know what others might not have. And they are thankful. For everything that they have. Even if it is nothing, they are thankful. You could be thankful and living under a bridge, but that doesn't even matter. As long as you are appreciative of the things that you do have, you can be truly happy.

Story of the day

I found this story for you. Love everyone, no matter what they look like... You never know who they really are inside. Enjoy!
-LifeOO


Hi! How are you?” The woman smiled as she took the seat beside me. She had to lower herself slowly, squeezing her ample bottom into the seat, filling all available space.

 Positioning herself comfortably, she plopped her enormous arm on our common armrest. Her immensity saturated the space around us, shrinking me and my seat into insignificance.

I cringed and reclined towards the window.

She leaned towards me and repeated her greeting in an upbeat, friendly voice. Her face towered above my head, forcing me to turn to look at her. “Hi,” I replied with obvious loathing.

I turned away to stare out the cabin window, sulking silently about the long hours of discomfort I was going to experience with this monster beside me.

She nudged me with her meaty arm. “My name is Laura. I’m from Britain. How about you? Japan?”

“Malaysia,” I barked.

“I’m so sorry! Will you accept my heartfelt apology? Come, shake my hand. If we’re going to spend six hours side-by-side on this flight, we’d better be friends, don’t you think?” A palm waved in front of my face. I shook the hand reluctantly, still silent.

Laura started a conversation with me, taking no notice of my unfriendly reactions. She talked excitedly about herself and her trip to Hong Kong to see her friends. She rattled off a list of things she was going to buy for her students in the boarding school where she was teaching.

I gave her one-word answers to her questions about me. Unperturbed by my coldness, she nodded as she made appreciative comments to my answers. Her voice was warm and caring. She was considerate and obliging when we were served drinks and meals, making sure that I had room to maneuver in my seat. “I don’t want to clobber you with my elephant size!” she said with utmost sincerity.

To my surprise, her face which repulsed me hours before, now opened into extraordinary smiles, lively and calm at the same time. I couldn’t help but let down my guard slowly.

Laura was an interesting conversationalist. She was well read in many subjects from philosophy to science. She turned a seemingly unimportant subject into something to explore and understand. Her comments were humorous and inspirational. When our topic turned to cultures, I was pleasantly surprised by her intelligent comments and well-thought-out analysis.

During our conversation, Laura managed to make every cabin crew who served us walk away laughing at her jokes.

When a flight attendant was clearing our plates, Laura cracked several jokes about her size. The flight attendant roared with laughter as she grabbed Laura’s hand, “You really make my day!”

For the next few minutes, Laura listened attentively and gave pointers to the flight attendant’s weight problem. The grateful attendant said before she rushed off, “I’ve got to work. I’ll come back later and talk to you about it.”

I asked Laura, “‘Have you ever thought about losing some weight?”

“No. I’ve worked hard to get this way. Why would I want to give it up?”

“You aren’t worried about cardiovascular diseases that come with being overweight?”

“Not at all. You only get the diseases if you’re worried about your weight all the time. You see advertisements from slimming centers that say, ‘Liberate yourself from your extra baggage so that you are free to be yourself.’ It’s rubbish! You’re liberated only if you’re comfortable about who you are, and what you look like any time of the day and anytime of the year! Why would I want to waste my time on slimming regimes when I have so many other important things to do and so many people to be friends with? I eat healthily and walk regularly; I’m this size because I am born to be big! There is more to life than worrying about weight all day long.”

She sipped at her wine. “Besides, God gives me so much happiness that I need a bigger body to hold all of it! Why would I lose weight to lose my happiness?” Taken aback by her reasoning, I chuckled.

Laura continued. “Folks often see me as a fat lady with big bosoms, big thighs and a big bottom that no man would even bother to cast a glance at. They see me as a slob. They think I’m lazy and have no willpower. They’re wrong.” She held up her glass to a passing flight attendant. “More of this magnificent wine, please.” She smiled sweetly at the attendant. “Great service from your crew. May God bless all of you.”

She turned to me, “I’m actually a slim person inside. I’m so full of energy that people won’t be able to keep up with me. This extra flesh is here to slow me down, otherwise I’ll be running everywhere chasing after men!”

“Do men chase after you?” I asked jokingly.

“Of course they do. I’m happily married but men still keep proposing to me.

“Most of them have relationship problems and they need someone to confide in. For some reason, they like to talk to me. I think I should have been a counsellor instead of a school teacher!”

Laura paused before she said thoughtfully, “You know, the relationship between men and women is so complicated. Women worship men and call them, ‘Honey’ until they find out they have been lied to, and then they turn into bitter gourds! Men love women so much that they see them as their soul mates until they look at their credit card bills, and then women become devils with tridents!”

Laura’s enthralling conversation had turned the flight into something thoroughly enjoyable. I was also fascinated by the way people were drawn to her. By the end of the flight, almost half the cabin crew was standing near the aisle by us, laughing and joking with Laura. The passengers around us joined in the merry-making too. Laura was the centre of attention, filling the cabin with delightful warmth.

When we waved goodbye to each other at the arrival lounge at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Airport, I watched her walking towards a big group of adoring adults and kids. Cheers sounded as the group hugged and kissed Laura. She turned around and winked at me.

I was stunned, as the realization set in: Laura was the most beautiful woman I had ever met in my life.

Daily Quote

"It takes a lot of things to prove you are smart, but only one thing to prove you are ignorant."

-Don Herold

Building a reputation is difficult. It is way more difficult than ruining a reputation. Humans tend to remember the bad things that happened. Most people will be able to tell you about that annoying or mean kid in elementary school. The bad things stick, which makes it so much harder to erase bad reputations. And you can be a wonderful person that everybody likes. But you do one thing and there goes your reputation! Proving you are smart versus ignorant is the same. You have to do a lot to show that you are smart. You can't just have one lucky test grade and people think you are smart. You have to repetitively do smart things to give yourself a smart reputation. But it doesn't take much to show signs of ignorance! 

Daily Quote

"The world is always in movement."

-V. S. Naipaul

It goes on. Life will move on, don't get caught up in the little things. That argument you had with your friend- that will pass by. Apologize, and life will move on. But don't drag the burden with you. That cup you accidentally broke- well there is no need to cover that up either. Life is so much easier when you simply admit to your wrongdoings. It helps move life along so much better. But even if you don't resolve it, life will go on. So make it easier, and let things go. Patch up your friendships. Let life take you with it, because it isn't going to stop anytime soon.

Quote of the day

"Responsibility is the price of freedom."

-Elbert Hubbard

I am just going to jump directly into an example for this one. When we are little, we all live with our parents. We are not free, but we don't have as much responsibility. But when we move away, we have the responsibility of caring for ourselves 100% and earning our incomes to support ourselves to pay our taxes on our houses and for food and such. Life is harder- we have responsibility. But we must do it. Being free is a good thing to experience and learn how to deal with.

Quote of the day

"How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!"

-John Muir

Enjoy the beauty of the earth. Our days on the earth are short, so don't spend too many of them buried in something man made, such as a computer. If you must, try it outside on a lovely day. When I read during the summer, I enjoy doing it outside. It is such a wonderful feeling- being surrounded by nature all around you!

Daily Quote

"Things are never quite as scary when you've got a best friend."

-Bill Watterson

Halloween is the best with a group of friends. A group of friends who don't care how old we are and what age we were 'supposed' to stop trick or treating. At this age, it is mostly about friendship. It is really nice to have a great friend!

Daily Story

Here is a beautiful story. Again, it is about an eye, just like the last one. Stories about eyes tend to get really powerful messages across. This one will really make you think. It will really make you appreciate your parents. It could even change the way you look at things. I hope you enjoy this story.

-LifeOO

My mom only had one eye. I hated her… She was such an embarrassment. She cooked for students and teachers to support the family. 

There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed. 

How could she do this to me? I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school one of my classmates said, “EEEE, your mom only has one eye!” 

I wanted to bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just disappear. I confronted her that day and said, “If you’re only gonna make me a laughing stock, why don’t you just die?” 

My mom did not respond… I didn’t even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her feelings. 

I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do with her. So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.

 Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had kids of my own. I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts. Then one day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadn’t seen me in years and she didn’t even meet her grandchildren. 

When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited. I screamed at her, “How dare you come to my house and scare my children! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!” 

And to this, my mother quietly answered, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address.” – and she disappeared out of sight. 

One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity. 

My neighbors said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have. 

“My dearest son, 

I think of you all the time. I’m sorry that I came to your house and scared your children. 

I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I’m sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up. 

You see……..when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine. 

I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. 

With all my love to you, 

Your mother.” 

Author Unknown

Quote of the day

"After all is said and done, more is said than done."

-Aesop

People tend to talk. A lot. So when all is said and done, more is actually said than done. But think of it- when something goes wrong, isn't it usually because you said something to a friend? Or to someone in general? There are more cases where the things being said and done are more of said. There are less done cases. We just all need to be careful with what we say, words can really hurt someone in the end.

Quote of the day

It is the little things in life that are the sweetest. The sweetest things that are the most simple. The most simple are the real ones. When things get too complicated, they aren't nearly as real feeling as the more simple things. Of course, when it is too simple, it doesn't feel real either. But just enough simplicity to make life easier and better are the real things. 

Daily Quote

"If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share."

-W. Clement Stone

When you are truly thankful, you share what you have to spread the joy. Many people across the globe show their thankfulness through service. People volunteer because they realize what they have, and that some people don't have that. So they volunteer. They give back to the community. Be thankful for the roof over your head, then volunteer at Habitat for Humanity or a homeless shelter. Be thankful for the food on your table, then volunteer at a local food bank. Be thankful for your life... bring things in for a hospital or a hospice building. Share the gratefulness.

Daily Quote

Hello Everyone! 

I'm back! I hope you enjoy this quote and there is more to come soon!

-LifeOO

"If you want the best the world has to offer, offer the world your best."

-Neale Donald Walsch

If you want the best, you have to do your best. You can't expect to be paid full pay if you just sit around doing nothing. You have to work for your keep. If you want the most bountiful harvest at your farm, you can't just sit back and watch your plants grow without tending to them. If you want the best the world has to offer, you have to get up and offer the best you have. You just can't expect the best without making a mark first.

Quote of the day

I have done a few different quotes on friendship before. But basically as a recap, friends are great. They will always be there for you, they have your back. And only heaven itself is better than a true friend. So make some great friends and keep them. They are more precious than gold.

I am leaving tomorrow for a little trip with absolutely no internet access. And no technology what so ever. So I will not be able to post again until Saturday evening. I will see you all then!

Thank you! 

-LifeOO

Story of the day

There was a blind girl who hated herself just because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend.

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her and then she could see everything, including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend asked her, “now that you can see the world, will you marry me?”

The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind too, and refused to marry him. Her boyfriend walked away in tears, and later wrote a letter to her saying:

“Just take care of my eyes dear.”

Daily Quote

"If fear is cultivated it will become stronger, if faith is cultivated it will achieve mastery."

-John Paul Jones

When you feed your fear, it will only get bigger. Fear can take you over and keep you from doing some things that might be really important. Fear can even push you away from the people you love the most. It is a big barrier in the middle of your day, keeping you from seeing the light. But if you feed your faith, it will achieve mastery. It will help prevent fear. It really can help you.
When I was younger, I was afraid of the dark. I would imagine these ugly monsters waiting for me in the darkest spots of the house. Especially the basement. I would imagine while I walked up the dark stairs a monster silently following me, waiting for the right moment to attack. I was always told they didn't exist, and I knew they didn't. But part of me wanted to, just to have a reason to be afraid of the darkness. Later on in life, I made up a mental rule. If there is a light in a room, the pool of light coming from that lamp or what ever it is is a safe spot from the monsters. And I could be like a sponge. I can soak up the light, run through the darkness, and when my sponge full of light ran out, I was vulnerable again. So this worked for a while. Then I still wanted to get rid of this phobia, so I turned to my faith. I knew that God created light out of darkness so that darkness is merely the lack of light. Just as coldness is the lack of heat. Also, God didn't make monsters. God made everything beautiful to be the way it is. So even if there were monsters, they couldn't be all that bad. Then I just tried to suck it up and see what happened. With all of these things in mind, I could then safely go through the darkness, my mind completely 'unharmed.' Back then, I would turn off the light, run, and make a dive into bed as if there were skeletons on the ground. After, I would just turn off the light and walk to bed. Turning to faith can really help. Cultivate your faith, make it a mastery. Face your fears, don't feed them. It may help you with your most irrational or extreme fears, you never know.

Daily Quote

Count your blessings. Don't look at the glass as half empty, look at it as half full! You have more than some people have. And let's face it, there are some people who take their fortunes for granted. Sometimes, the poorest people may be the ones who use their blessings to the best. Blessings are like circles of light around you to protect you. To heal you, to strengthen you. Taking them for granted will weaken the circle. It will still work, but since you are not aware of its power, it won't be as strong. So count your blessings. Be thankful. Strengthen your circle of blessings.

Story of the day

Today, instead of a quote, I am going to post an inspirational story. I hope you enjoy!

Some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found the box was empty.

He yelled at her, "Don't you know that when you give someone a present, there's supposed to be something inside it?"

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy, it is not empty. I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy."

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness. 

It is told that the man kept that gold box by his bed for years and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each of us as humans have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, friends, family and God. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.

Quote of the day

"This bright, new day... complete with 24 hours of opportunities, choices, and attitudes. A perfectly matched set of 1440 minutes. This unique gift, this one day, cannot be exchanged, replaced, or refunded. Handle with care. Make the most of it. There is only one to a customer."

-Unknown

I think this quote is pretty well explained. So just use your day to the best. Once time is gone, it is gone forever. So seize the day, make the most of it, live each day as if it was your last. I know that sentence is a bit of a cliche, but it is so true. Be nice, get things done, make it so that if there wasn't tomorrow, you wouldn't have any, if not than very little regret.

Daily Quote

True friends will always be there for you. They will support you when no one else does. They will always have your back, they will be with you until the end. When the rest of the world walks out, they will walk in. Friendship is an amazing thing. It is so wonderful to have a person who cares like that. So don't forget to tell your true friends thank you, because they are always there for you. For emotional support, for physical support, for you.

Don't forget to give back what you receive. Make them feel loved too!

Daily Quote

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." 

-Abraham Lincoln

A lot of what we are is in our minds. Happiness is something that is only temporary. But if you truly believe in your mind you are happy, and keep a happy and positive mindset towards others and life in general, it is likely you will fell happy. Same thing goes for when you are doing something tough. Like running- if you are running a 5k and your goal is to keep running and don't walk for the whole thing, you have to keep it positive in your mind. When I was younger, my dad and I would run 5k races together. We would run the whole time, until this one time when I just didn't think I could do it. I started hyperventilating, and my dad told me I could just walk. But I wasn't going to give up. He taught me that it was all in my mind, and that if I believed I can, I could. So I did. We finished strong and actually ran at a reasonably good pace for the age I was. I used this terminology when running cross country races as well. On the trail, I cheered on other teams and my teammates and told them that it was all in their minds. You would be surprised what a little bit of encouragement with information that is that true can do! For you and others! Because encouraging one person and seeing them do better because of that encourages you too!

Quote of the day

"Riches don't make a man rich, they only make him busier."

-Christopher Columbus

When you have riches, it is not as much sitting back and letting your paid maids and servants and butlers and such do everything for you while you are sitting back in a jacuzzi inside of a private jet on your way to a vacation in Paris. That's just not the way it works in life. You still have to do things. But riches make you busier. More bills and taxes to pay, more security needed to protect your money, more this, more that. It is probably tiring. The real riches in life are your friends and family, and happiness and such. Don't worry about your physical riches- look around and see your true riches around you. All of those you love, and all of those who love you.

Quote of the day

No secrets will remain secret forever. Eventually, they will all come out. Whether it is a matter of minutes, or in Coca Cola's case, a matter of over a hundred years. But secrets do get out- so be careful what you say. Keeping negative and mean secrets from others will just result in something worse later, so be sure to never even start them. If you have something mean to say, keep it to yourself. Otherwise, the chain reaction of gossip and rumors and secrets will just become too much to handle. And time will handle it in ways you don't want. So before time gets to your dirty little secrets, try to sort them out yourself. It will take huge weights off your shoulders and I guarantee you will sleep better at night.

Daily Quote

If you are fighting with others, you are not at peace with yourself. During the fight, you are angry. You lash out and become really hostile. To be peaceful with yourself, you must be at peace. And to be at peace, you must be peaceful- with others and the world. So there is a whole 'peace chain reaction' going on here, so try to live a peaceful life. With others, with the world. With yourself.

Daily Quote

"Talent is the seed, but hard work is the sunshine and rain that makes it grow."

-Anonymous

You can't rely only on talent. Because without hard work, the talent won't go anywhere. It will never sprout, never blossom or bloom, it will just be a little seed stuck in the ground. You aren't born with the ability to do anything, you have to work for it. For example, if your talent was dancing, you might be able to do a little bit, but your talent range will never expand without practicing. You won't learn new moves and you won't become more skilled. You can't expect to be a famous ballerina on your first try. Or if your talent was piano, you can't expect to be able to play Rhapsody in Blue the first time you sit down at the piano. It just doesn't work like that. You need hard work to let your talents bloom and grow! Talents are the foundation of the house, but hard work is all of the framework and strong structural design and everything that makes the house what it is.

Quote of the day

"Drawing is the honesty of the art. There is no possibility of cheating. It is either good or bad."

-Salvador Dali

Since this is a very artistic quote, I will explain it in the art world. 

When you are drawing or painting or anything, you can't mess up. Just because the brush or pencil stroke isn't the way you want it to look, that doesn't mean it is ruined. It is art! It can be anything! There are no mistakes, no possibilities of cheating (if your paper is thick enough and you can't trace things onto it)! I don't know much more of what to say, so now I will apply it to real world.

Be honest- when you are honest you can't cheat. Even if your honesty is on being good or on being bad, it is still honesty. Which is good. Always tell the truth. The more you do, the more people will believe you when you actually do tell it. But be careful- too many dishonest lies will get people turned against you for longer, so tell the truth while you can so that people will always believe you.

But remember- honesty is always good, no matter if it is about good or bad.

Quote of the day

"Lost time is never found again."
-Benjamin Franklin

Be careful with your time. Time is always ticking, you can't go back and redo things. So don't waste your time. For example, and this is all just an example, if you are a student, you only have one night to do homework. And say you do sports. After school, some of your time is taken up by this activity or these activities, leaving you less time to do your homework. So it is probably not wise to sit there watching TV or playing games. Because when it is late and you are just starting your homework, a ton of time that you will never get back was wasted. So be careful.

Daily Quote

"Whoever is happy will make others happy too."

-Anne Frank

Happiness is contagious in a way. It is just like a candle- out of that one candle you can light thousands without ever lessening the amount of flame in the original candle. Same goes for happiness. Just like a wildfire to those willing to take it, it will spread. You probably know the feeling. If you are down in the dumps and someone comes in and is happy, but instead of rubbing something in your face, they share their happiness with you? It is a great feeling. So be happy and let your flame loose on the world!

Daily Quote

"It is not who is right, but what is right, that is of importance."

-Thomas Huxley

In an argument, everyone wants to be right. So everyone fights it out to try to get the point out that they are right. The other person is also trying to be right, so they don't want to believe you are right. Even if nobody is right, the most important thing is to do what is right. Be the bigger person and end the argument. Say sorry, do the right thing. Now in terms of the argument- you need to learn to solve your arguments without a third party helping sort things out. But doing this is a big skill that most people- even adults- even me, and probably you- still struggle with. It is natural to want to be right. But learn to step up and do what is right.

LifeRules

I found this great picture illustrating a couple more LifeRules.
-LifeOO

Quote of the day

"Sadly, it's much easier to create a desert than a forest."

-James Lovelock

You've probably noticed that it is easier to do bad than it is to do good. Well, unfortunately, this is just life. But this doesn't mean you should give up on being good, it just means that you will need to try a bit harder to keep good. Now there are some things you should remember:

-Keep your temper. There are always going to be those people who just get on your nerves. And keeping your cool is difficult. But once you learn to do it, you might notice the person will stop or get a little less annoying. This is because some people tend to be mean because it makes them feel better. And once they realize they aren't getting to you, they might just stop.

-Always take responsibility for your actions. If there is one thing I have learned in life, it is to take responsibility for your actions and say sorry. When you take responsibility for your actions, the person questioning you will not only be happy for your truth, but will admire you for saying it and they will lessen your punishment. For example, a while back I spilled paint on the floor. My parents were furious; but I took responsibility for my actions and they thanked me, because I just saved them a lot of time. I was still punished, but they told me that the punishment would have been 4 times worse if I chose to lie and deny.

-There are tons of other things to remember. As humans, we have many flaws. There are more things to remember then I can type, so perhaps I might post more of them later. But for now, start with keeping your temper and taking responsibility. 

Check back later for more LifeRules.

Quote of the day

"Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer."

-William S. Burroughs

You would be surprised about how much you actually know. Your subconscious may have picked up something along the way that you didn't realize, and later when you need that knowledge, you will find that it is already there! We have all had that experience where we are taking a test, and that one question comes up and you feel stumped. You think for a moment, and suddenly you know the answer. And you didn't even know you had ever learned it. So just trust your brain. Asking questions is great, but your own mind will answer most questions when you relax and just wait for the answer.   

Daily Quote

"God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'thank you?'"

-William Arthur Ward

There are 86,400 seconds in a day. Did you say thank you to anyone today? Did you say thank you to the janitor at your school/office? Did you say thank you to your teachers after leaving your class? Did you say thank you to your boss today? Did you say thank you to that stranger who held the door for you? Did you say thank you at all? ...Did you say thank you to God for the gift of today? For the gift of life? I hope that you have said thank you to at least someone today. Being thankful is incredibly important. So don't forget to thank someone, thank everyone. 

But don't forget to say thank you to God.
Connecting with God is a truly amazing experience. It is different for everyone, but the way I know that I am connecting with God is when I am praying and I begin to get teary eyed. Sometimes before bed I just sit there and pray. For thanks for being alive, for what God has made me into, for safety for my friends and family. And it is an amazing experience. Sitting there on my bed, I just feel lost in time. With my eyes closed, I get so lost in it. It is like being in a dream where everything feels so powerful. And the connection feels very strong. I can almost feel God holding on to me, hugging me. Such an amazing experience. 

I have a blister on my hand. It is on a very mobile spot on my hand, and it hurts a lot. But during that prayer time, all of my pain goes away. The itch of a mosquito bite, the pain of my blister, and any other problems just seem to disappear. God is amazing like that. 

So I encourage you to say thank you to someone today. And tomorrow. And the next day and next. Stop to appreciate life that has been given to you, and give talking to God a try. Even if it is just a simple 'thank you.' And remember- God is with you always.

Daily Quote

"It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it."

-Benjamin Franklin

To get a reputation, you need a lot of things in it. But the second you do a bad thing, everything doesn't matter as much. People are constantly looking for the flaws in people, that is just the way things are. Just think- what did that person you really don't like do to make you feel that way? Most likely it is an action or deed they did. That one bad deed ruined your entire thought of what they are like. So try to keep your reputation positive. Even though we are human and we will make mistakes, just remember to think before you act.