AND YOU LEARN, AND YOU LEARN

AFTER AWHILE

After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul.

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning and company doesn't mean security.

And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't promises.

And you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes ahead, with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child.

And you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans, and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.

After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.

So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to leave you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure;
You really are strong, you really do have worth.
And you learn, and you learn.
With every goodbye you learn.

~ Veronica Shoftshall, 1971

MAY YOUR FORCES BE WITH YOU

“Promise Yourself"

To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.” 

― Christian D. Larson, Your Forces and How to Use Them

THE POTENTIAL THAT YOU'LL NEVER SEE

"Between The Bars"
Elliott Smith

Drink up baby, stay up all night

With the things you could do

You won't but you might

The potential you'll be that you'll never see

The promises you'll only make

Drink up with me now

And forget all about the pressure of days

Do what I say and I'll make you okay

And drive them away

The images stuck in your head

The people you you've been before

That you don't want around around anymore

That push and shove and won't bend to your will

I'll keep them still

Drink up baby, look at the stars

I'll kiss you again between the bars

Where I'm seeing you there with your hands in the air

Waiting to finally be caught

Drink up one more time and I'll make you mine

Keep you apart, deep in my heart

Separate from the rest, where I like you the best

And keep the things you forgot

The people you've been before

That you don't want around anymore

That push and shove and won't bend to your will

I'll keep them still

WHY I MAKE LEMONADE

While I haven't been writing a lot on my blog, I have in my head.

Often at night. When I can't sleep. Could be this is one of the many reasons I can't sleep. Topics bouncing around in my already overwhelmed brain. Making lists. Grabbing iPhone off bedside table to make notes for the next day so I don't forget.

The other night, I sent my Chosen an email to let her know I couldn't sleep and was about to hop in a hot bath to soothe my ever-fidgety legs. (Yes...this is something we have done for a long time. Email each other when we can't sleep. Granted, I do it more than her!).

After I sent the email, I thought about this poor soul who somehow tore off the ticket in life that she would be my friend. Or my "chosen", as we call each other. She's my chosen family. My sister. Ever since I've known her (15 years +), if we are talking about a situation or person who is frustrating us, she will say, "We need to pray for them" when my thought-process was already concocting a full-proof plan to run then over with a car.

When she does this, I tell her, "There you go again...making some lemonade".

She is the supreme preparer of the lemonade pitcher. I don't care how many lemons I toss her way, she slices them up and makes *#!^% lemonade out of them.

So when I lost my blog address awhile back (on purpose because I didn't want to pay for a private one), I have been lost in a conundrum of coming up with a new title for my blog.

Thanks to fidgety legs and a cumbersome brain at 4:00 a.m., I came up with it.

Thank you, Angela. You have ONCE AGAIN made something wonderful out of my lemons. Just to warn you, I add tequila and salt from time-to-time so hang on!

XOXOXO