READING BETWEEN THE PINES

I had a super-silly post planned for today, but then something happened that’s anything but. One of the most amazing people I’ve ever known passed away this weekend, and I am very, very sad.

I wrote this awhile ago not really knowing why.  Now I understand.  Gumps…this post is for you.  Thank you for inspiring me in every conceivable way.  I miss you.  Already.  So much.

*****

I believe the best way to get the answers you want out of life is to ask a lot of questions.

I believe in working hard to be smart, but that it’s smarter to work hard.

I believe we each control our own destiny, and nobody has the power to change someone who’s determined to self-destruct.

I believe there’s goodness in just about everyone, and in most people?  Something great.

I believe in random acts of kindness.

I believe the most rewarding path in life is often circuitous.

I believe in stem cell research, because too many people I care about are either suffering or have died from a curable disease.

I believe the best way to give is to expect nothing in return.

I believe in surrounding myself with talented people, because it’s better to play up than down.

I believe it’s the small things in life that matter the most.

I believe in learning to speak for anyone who feels like they don’t have a voice.

I believe that family and friends are my most valuable possessions.

I believe in second chances, and many more if someone is truly trying to get it right.

I believe in sharing, because the return on investment is priceless.

I believe there’s no such thing as luck, and that life is a series of reactions caused by deliberate choice.

I believe in equality.

I believe in compassion, because even though you may try on someone else’s shoes, you can only walk in your own.

I believe everyone should have the right to marry his or her soul mate.

I believe that life is complicated, and nothing is truly black and white.

I believe the past is a memory, the future unknown, and today is all that really matters.

I believe that positive thinking + positive action = positive results.

I believe insurance is a good back-up plan for future mistakes.

I believe love should be expressed.  Openly, honestly, and often.

I believe in charity, because nothing feels better than helping a person in need.

I believe I’ve grown the most as an individual when life has been the hardest.

I believe in paying it forward; you never know when you might need a loan.

I believe in calculated risk.

I believe in laughing at myself; it’s a lot more fun to laugh than cry.

I believe in something bigger than me, because a sunset, the ocean, and the faces of my sleeping children move me in ways that I cannot describe.