THE PARADOX OF OUR AGE

We seem to have wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgments, more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values; we talk too much, love too seldom and lie too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbours; we've conquered outerspace, but not inner space.

We've done larger things, but not better things; we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice; we write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but lower morals; more food but less appeasement, more acquaintances, but fewer friends; more effort but less success.

We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; we've become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestions; tall men, short character.

We have steep profits, and shallow relationships!

These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure and less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the show window, and nothing in the stockroom. Think about it. Read it again. Value and embrace your family, your faith, your friends, and life itself. Life is too short, live it to it's fullest!

Everything Happens For A Reason

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there... to serve some sort of purpose. Teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are who you want to become. You never know who these people may be but when you lock eyes with them you know that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way. And sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible, painful and unfair. But in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, will power or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, life would be a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. Safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet affect your life. The successes and downfalls that you experience can create who you are, and the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and open your heart and eyes to little things.

Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can. For you may never be able to experience it again."Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself."

Actually listen to your heart. Let yourself fall in love. Break free and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself. For if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you.

It Takes Strength, It Takes Courage

It takes strength to stand guard,
It takes courage to let down your guard.
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 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 feel a friend's pain,
It takes courage to feel you own pain.
It takes strength to hide your own pains,
It takes courage to show them.

It take strength to love,
It takes courage to be loved.
It take strength to survive,
It takes courage to live.