“What we think we become.” -Buddha
“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
“In the universe, great acts are made up of small deeds.” -Lao Tzu
“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at its testing point.” -C.S. Lewis
“Giving up is the ultimate tragedy.” -Robert J. Donovan
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Gandhi
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow’.” –Mary Ann Radmacher
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.” -Napoleon Hill
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
It wasn’t possible to narrow my choice of one favorite (positive) quote; I list these because they have become the blueprint for how I want to live my life. More importantly, as it is with all writing and many books in general, these quotes have become a comfort to me, much like an old or very close friend when I’m discouraged, worn out, lonely and grasping for the sand in an ocean of white foam too rough to swim out of.
Lately, many of these quotes have given me inspiration during my pain; comfort because of the isolation caused by my pain; and empowerment during feelings of frustration, loss, and negativity because of my pain.
How can mere words do all these powerful, magical deeds? I can’t say for sure, but for me, I’ve always been comforted by the written word: the mystical, heavy and transformative connection between the inventor/writer and the receiver/reader. These words cross the barrier between time and space and enable the reader an inside view – if taken correctly – of the writer’s mind as well as intention. When the prose is positive, the reader can expect to receive anything the writer intends to “send”; the deep and interconnectedness between giver and receiver can equal that of a close friend holding your hand during a particularly bad moment or day.
This is how it is for me.
I am an only child, born and raised on “the road”, as my parents described it. Being different (eventually) became my closest friend; I was alone, lonely, and looking for all the things that all children look for: acceptance, love, understanding, happiness, friends and supporters.
Most of these “things” I found in words. The words hand me back my power when I can’t seem find it anywhere; they remind me that it was never lost.
These quotes that I’ve come to love encompass my need for strength, understanding and inspiration; they remind me of who I am; what I should stand for; and for what I CAN do, and I am grateful.
Leave a Reply