Let go

From Anthony Hopkins

Let go the people who are not prepared to love you. This is the hardest thing you will have to do in your life and it will also be the most important thing. Stop having hard conversations with people who don't want to change.

Stop showing up for people who have no interest in your presence. I know your instinct is to do everything to earn the appreciation of those around you, but it's a boost that steals your time, energy, mental and physical health.

When you begin to fight for a life with joy, interest and commitment, not everyone will be ready to follow you in this place. This doesn't mean you need to change what you are, it means you should let go of the people who aren't ready to accompany you.

If you are excluded, insulted, forgotten, or ignored by the people you give your time to, you don't do yourself a favor by continuing to offer your energy and your life. The truth is that you are not for everyone and not everyone for you.

That's what makes it so special when you meet people who reciprocate love. You will know how precious you are.

The more time you spend trying to make yourself loved by someone who is unable to, the more time you waste depriving yourself of the possibility of this connection to someone else.

There are billions of people on this planet and many of them will meet with you at your level of interest and commitment.

The more you stay involved with people who use you as a pillow, a background option or a therapist for emotional healing, the longer you stay away from the community you want.

Maybe if you stop showing up, you won't be wanted.

Maybe if you stop trying, the relationship will end.

Maybe if you stop texting your phone will stay dark for weeks. That doesn't mean you ruined the relationship, it means the only thing holding it back was the energy that only you gave to keep it. This is not love, it's attachment. It's wanting to give a chance to those who don't deserve it. You deserve so much, there are people who should not be in your life.

The most valuable thing you have in your life is your time and energy, and both are limited. When you give your time and energy, it will define your existence.

When you realize this, you begin to understand why you are so anxious when you spend time with people, in activities, places or situations that don't suit you and shouldn't be around you, your energy is stolen.

You will begin to realize that the most important thing you can do for yourself and for everyone around you is to protect your energy more fiercely than anything else. Make your life a safe haven, in which only "compatible" people are allowed.

You are not responsible for saving anyone. You are not responsible for convincing them to improve. It's not your work to exist for people and give your life to them! If you feel bad, if you feel compelled, you will be the root of all your problems, fearing that they will not return the favours you have granted. It's your only obligation to realize that you are the love of your destiny and accept the love you deserve.

Decide that you deserve true friendship, commitment, true and complete love with healthy and prosperous people. Then wait and see how much everything begins to change. Don't waste time with people who are not worth it. Change will give you the love, the esteem, happiness and the protection you deserve.

Idea of you

 "Soon you'll realize that many people 

will love the idea of you but will lack

the maturity to handle the reality of 

you."

Won a war

 From wordables

 

You are worn and cracked

and dented. And that is

okay because I have never

heard of a clean and shiny

sword that won a war.

~Edith van Vuren

More aware

 From @thinkingmindspage

"Become more 

aware of what's

really worth

your energy."

Cannot be taken

Hope cannot be

taken from you.

You must surrender it.

Don't quit.

What you can

 by Amy Weatherly

You're holding onto too many

bags. You can't do it all.

You can't be it all.

You can't carry it all.

Do what you can.

Be who you are.

Only carry what's important.

And put the rest of the 

bags down.

No longer apologizing

 From @Elevatetheglobe

THINGS I AM NO LONGER APOLOGIZING FOR:

• My feelings
• Having firm boundaries
• Saying no to something I'm not interested in doing
• Being emotional - crying
• Not answering the phone when I can't or don't feel like it
• Taking a break
• Asking for clarity when I don't understand
• How other people behave
• Changing, growing and becoming better
• Not agreeing with someone
• Putting myself first. I can't be anything to anyone if I am nothing to myself
• Not settling for less than I deserve
• Letting go when I need to
• Healing at my own pace
• If people are triggered by my light and expansion

Not Once

 "You Don't Just Lose Someone Once"

You lose them over and over,

sometimes many times a day.

When the loss, momentarily forgotten,

creeps up,

and attacks you from behind.

Fresh waves of grief as the realization hits home,

they are gone.

You don't just lose someone once,

you lose them every time you open your eyes to a new

dawn,

and as you awaken,

so does your memory,

so does the jolting bolt of lightning that rips into your 

heart,

they are gone.

Again.

Losing someone is a journey,

not a one-off.

There is no end to the loss,

there is only a learned skill on how to stay afloat,

when it washes over.

Be kind to those who are sailing this stormy sea,

they have a journey ahead of them,

and a daily shock to the system each time they realize,

they are gone,

Again.

You don't just lose someone once,

you lose them every day,

for a lifetime.

(A little depressing, but true)

Not selfish

 You're not selfish for wanting the same energy and love you give.

No wrong

by Blake Labaree

If God is holy, He cannot sin.

If He cannot sin, then He 

can do me no wrong.

Handout of grace

 By Brennan Manning

Jesus comes not 

for the super-spiritual

but for the wobbly

and the weak-kneed 

who know they

don't have it all 

together, and 

who are not too

proud to accept

the handout of

amazing grace.

The last

 From 3 am Thoughts

I'm the last.

I'm the last to have breakfast,

To get myself dressed,

To brush my teeth.

And I'm the last to get out the door,

To buy something for myself,

To sit down for a moment.

And I'm the last to have a shower,

To turn off the lights,

To fall asleep every night.

But I'm also the first.

The first they run to when they're excited.

The first they cry to when they're upset,

The first they come to for everything.

So I may come last because they come first,

But I also come first because I am their first.

And it's just nice to remember that some days.

Bravery

 From 3 am Thoughts

You wake up every morning

to fight the same demons that

left you so tired the night

before, and that, my love,

is bravery.

Don't understand

 

When we don't understand why God is

doing something, it's always okay to go

back to what we do know.

He is good.

He is holy.

He is faithful.

He is just.

He is loving.

Then, even if we still don't understand,

we at last can remember why we 

trust the One who does.

~Sandra Samoska

Toxic marriages

 From Flying Free

While the Bible teaches us that marriage should tell a story of Christ and His bride, the Church - toxic marriages tell a story about Satan and the bride. The enemy accuses and condemns and defeats the child of God. Abusive marriages tell a lie about God, and this is blasphemous.

She will always

She will always be okay,

She has to be. For herself.

She falls, and she breaks,

of course, she does.

But she will always pick

herself back up and put

herself back together.

It's what she does.

~A. Rose

What you are

 You are important and special and loved even when your mind tells you you're not.

Rules to teach your daughter

 from Health is Wealth

RULES TO TEACH YOUR DAUGHTER

1.  Make your bed every day, even if it's right before you get in it.

2.  Don't wear holey underwear...in case you're in an accident and they cut your clothes off.

3.  Travel light through life. Keep only what you need.

4.  It's okay to cry when you're hurt. It's also okay to smash (some) things; but, wash your face, clean           your mess, and get up off the floor when you're done. You don't belong down there.

5.  If you're going to curse, be clever.  If you're going to curse in public, know your audience.

6.  Seek out the people and places that resonate with your soul.

7.  Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

8.  5-second rule. It's just dirt. There are worse things in a fast food cheeseburger.

9.  Happiness is not a permanent state. Wholeness is. Don't confuse these.

10. If you're staying more than one night, unpack your bag.

11. Never walk through an alley alone.

12. Be less sugar, more spice, and only as nice as you're able to without compromising yourself.

13. Can't is a cop-out.

14. Hold your heroes to a high standard. Be your own hero.

15. If you can't smile with your eyes, don't smile. Insincerity is nothing to aspire to.

16. Never lie to yourself.

17. Your body, your rules.

18. If you have an opinion, you better know why.

19. Practice your passions.

20. Ask for what you want. The worst thing they can say is no.

21. Wish on stars and dandelions, then get to work to make them happen.

22. Stay as sweet as you are.

23. Fall in love often. Particularly with ideas, art, music, literature, food and far-off places.

24. Fall hard and forever in love with nothing but yourself.

25. Say Please, Thank You, and Pardon Me, whenever the situation warrants it.

26. Reserve "I'm sorry" for when you truly are.

27. Naps are for grown-ups too.

28. Question everything, except your own intuition.

29. You have enough. You are enough.

30. You are amazing! Don't let anyone ever make you feel you are not. If someone does...walk away.  

      You deserve better.

31. No matter where you are, you can always come home

32. Be happy and remember your roots, family is EVERYTHING.

33. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

34. No one will ever love you more than I do. (except God)

35. Be kind; treat others how you would like them to treat you.

36. If in doubt, remember whose daughter you are and straighten your crown. (God's)

Advent

 by Dustin Benge

The first advent of Christ:

He came as a baby,

He came humbled,

He came wrapped in rags,

He came to a manger.

The second advent of Christ:

He returns as a warrior,

He returns exalted,

He returns robed in glory,

He returns to conquer.

Who she was

She 

remembered

who she was

and the game 

changed.

~Lalah Deliah

Something new

Never be afraid to try something new.

Remember, amateurs built the Ark.

Professionals built the Titanic.

(Also a good reminder of what happens when God is in charge)

Twice as much

It is one of the temptations of the devil to tell you not to pray when you do not feel like praying. 

Pray twice as much then.

~Charles Spurgeon

The signs

The driver on the highway is safe

not when he reads the signs,

but when he obeys them.

~A.W. Tozer

The best day

by Ralph Waldo Emerson

He said, "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety. Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in. Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays."

 

Serious relationship

Important things to remember when you are married or in a serious relationship:

Don't ever assume your partner feels loved.

Date nights are a must.

Doesn't matter if you go out, or stay in.

Talking openly about what you want to change in 

your relationship is important.

Learn each other's love language.

We all don't perceive love the same way.

Go to bed mad sometimes.

Don't force a resolution.

Sleeping on it does help.

When you get into a fight, don't just say, "I'm sorry."

Say what you are sorry for, and how you will react

differently the next time.

It will get boring sometimes.

Every couple goes through the "boring" stage.

It's normal.

It will fade.

This is the time in your relationship you will have to

put the most effort in.

Some days you will have to pull more weight than

your partner, and vice versa.

It's important to check in on each other's mental health.

It's okay to go to couples' counseling.

It helps.

It doesn't mean you two are ending, or failing.

Talk about money.

Talk about your financial goals.

Let your partner know what you expect from them,

and vice versa.

Turn off the phones an hour before bedtime and just talk to each other.

Ask questions like:

"What do you need to see more of from me?"

"How can we understand each other better?"

And most importantly, be kind to each other.

Love each other.

Fight for each other.

Remember, love is never easy, and it's one hell of a ride.

But damn, is it ever beautiful, and worth it.

Assurance

Faith is not the assurance that everything is going to be okay;

it is the assurance that God is in control.

~Heather Zempel

Contagious

 I'm pretty sure I posted this before, but worth repeating...

Negativity is contagious.

Unhappiness is contagious.

Fear is contagious.

But so is happiness.

So is optimism.

So is love.

Surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you.

And strive to be a reflection of what you want to receive.

What it's worth

 For what it's worth...it's never

too late, or in my case too early,

to be whoever you want to be. There's no

time limit. Start whenever you want.

You can change or stay the same.

There are no rules to this thing.

We can make the best or the worst of it.

I hope you make the best of it.

I hope you can see things that startle you.

I hope you feel things that you've never

felt before. I hope you meet people who

have a different point of view.

I hope you live a life you're proud of,

and if you're not, I hope you have the

courage to start over again.

~F. Scott Fitzgerald

Spiritual maturity

 Spiritual maturity is tied to obedience, not time.

~John Bevere

To my son

 To my son

Life may be hard sometimes

But I believe you can overcome

every challenge you have to face

ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Stay strong, be confident

AND JUST DO YOUR BEST

Someday, when the pages of my life end

I know that you will be one of

the most beautiful chapters.

Love, Mom

Brains rewired

 From Flying Free

Our brains are wired for

 connection, but trauma

rewires them for 

protection. That's why 

healthy relationships

are difficult for 

wounded people.

Your happiest child

I read somewhere

that a mother is only as

happy as her least

happiest child.

As a mom,

I felt that in my soul...

 

Free soul

The free soul is rare, but

you know it when you see it-

basically because you feel

good, very good, when you are 

near or with them.

Enjoy every minute

 From The Cool Shady Tree

Time is like a river.

You cannot touch the same

water twice because the flow

that has passed will 

never pass again.

Enjoy every minute of it. 

Your absence

today my mom told me "if your absence doesn't bother them then your presence never mattered to them in the first place."

(saw online)

A waste

 From 3 am Thoughts

No man can stand by a

disrespectful woman no matter

how beautiful she is...

Your beauty is a waste when

your character is ugly.

Extra

 by Myra S.

That thing that makes you

"Not fit in,"

Be proud of it. Nurture it.

Because that's your

Extra in the ordinary.

Christian

 From Beth Moore

Christian:

an emotional word causing one man joy and another man fury -

one man peace and another man turmoil.

a dividing word unceasingly drawing a line. Either a man

is or he is not, either for or against.

a uniting word. Unlikely pairs draw together in

work places and neighborhoods over one single bond.

a defining word for which countless people have lived and

countless people have dies.

Theirs

To inspire

people,

don't show 

them your

superpowers.

Show them

theirs.

A relationship

 On Camp Cobeac's website

Christianity is a Person.

Eternal life is a relationship with that Person.

Ministry is helping others with that relationship.

My enemy

by A.W. Tozer

Whatever keeps me from the Bible is my enemy,

however harmless it may appear to be. 

Waters

 Shallow waters are noisy;

deep waters are silent.

Feed it

 Your mind will always believe

everything you tell it.

Feed it faith. Feed it truth.

Feed it love.

Shining regardless

 From 3 am Thoughts

You absolutely HAVE to become ok with not being liked. No matter how loving or kind you are, you will neve people please your way into collective acceptance. You could be a whole ray of sunshine and people will hate you because they're used to rain. Be ok with shining regardless.

Bravest thing

From Thinking Minds

The bravest thing you will ever do is love again.

13 Rules

13 Rules by General Colin Powell

1. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.

2. Get mad, then get over it.

3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.

4. It can be done.

5. Be careful what you choose.

6. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.

7. You can't make someone else's choices.

8. Check small things.

9. Share credit.

10. Remain calm. Be kind.

11. Have a vision.

12. Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.

13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

Miracles

 Sometimes miracles

are just good people

with kind hearts.

Contagious

 From ThirdEyeThoughts

Negativity is contagious.

Unhappiness is contagious.

Fear is contagious.

But so is happiness.

So is optimism.

So is love.

Surround yourself with people

who bring out the best in you.

And strive to be a reflection 

of what you want to receive.

Worthy now

You are worthy now.

Not when you get that degree,

or when you lose 10 pounds,

or when more people know who you are.

Now.

Simply because you exist.

The person and character of God

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? -Isaiah 40:12

We must be concerned with the person and character of God, not the promises. Through promises we learn what God has willed to us, we learn what we may claim as our heritage, we learn how we should pray. But faith itself must rest on the character of God.

Is this difficult to see? Why are we not stressing this in our evangelical circles? Why are we afraid to declare that people in our churches must come to know God Himself? Why do we not tell them that they must get beyond the point of making God a lifeboat for their rescue or a ladder to get them out of a burning building? How can we help our people get over the idea that God exists just to help run their businesses or fly their airplanes?

God is not a railway porter who carries your suitcase and serves you. God is God. He made heaven and earth. He holds the world in His hand. He measures the dust of the earth in the balance. He spreads the sky out like a mantle. He is the great God Almighty. He is not your servant. He is your Father, and you are His child. He sits in heaven, and you are on the earth. 

~A.W. Tozer

Part of me

 Seen on a Thomas Kinkade statue

I'm writing this from heaven,

Where I dwell with God above.

I am resting here with angels,

Who surround me now with love.

But though I may seem far away

We will never truly part.

For part of me lives on with you,

Forever in your heart.

To those

From Flying Free

To those who abuse:

the sin is yours,

the crime is yours, 

and the shame is yours.

To those who protect the perpetrators:

blaming the victims only masks the evil within,

making you as guilty as those who abuse.

Stand up for the innocent or go down with the rest.

~Flora Jessup

Most beautiful

What makes a man a man, is it what he has to offer the world in material, or is it what the world has forged him into through many lashings?

Some are full in pocket, and others are full in soul.

Some pay their dues in ten fold, and some never pay at all.

A man that has had to breathe darkness as air will possess one of the most beautiful souls of all.

~L.L. Cummings

Best feeling

 The best feeling in the world is being with someone who wants you as much as you want them.

My favorite

You're my favorite. 

My favorite pair of eyes to look into.

My favorite name to see appear on my phone.

My favorite way to spend an afternoon.

You're my favorite everything.

Healthy relationships

Healthy relationships feel boring to people who are used to relationships filled with toxicity and drama. They are not sure what to do with the love that is calm, kind, drama free, non-toxic and doesn't require them to constantly make painful sacrifices.

Overthinking

I know it's easier said than done but you 

have to control all of that overthinking

you've been doing lately. You're creating

scenarios that don't exist. And that's how 

you're breaking your own heart, love.

~r.m. drake

One good day

by Jeff Brown

It took me years to understand that many of us are more afraid of happiness than misery. Because misery and martyrdom have an inherent safety about them -- one is never particularly vulnerable, nor at risk of disappointment. Unhappiness becomes a security blanket, a way to armor ourselves against deep feeling. On the other hand, happiness has an intrinsically risky quality. When we open our hearts to life, we are always vulnerable to loss, to shattering, to having it all fall away. But it can also expand and deepen, joyfully permeating every element of life. I can often sense when someone has made unhappiness their shield, their perpetual life stance. Locking ourselves into a negative way of being is a self-fulfilling prophecy: misery begets misery. Only through risking something can we arrive at a new perspective. And most significantly, because the rhythms and tides of one's life can truly shift in the blink of an eye. All it takes is one good day and whole damn thing can come back to light...

Trust

When I say I need to trust you, I don't just mean trust that you will be faithful.

I need to trust you will listen to me when I need to repeat things over and over to process them. 

Trust that you will keep my heart safe.

Trust that you will honour our truth and keep an open heart. 

Trust that you won't run away when things get tough.

Trust that you will hold me tighter on the nights I feel the weight of the world.

Trust that you will let me wander in the depths of my own mind when I need space.

Trust that you will ride the waves of my contradictions without judgment.

Trust that you will see beauty in my scars and love me more for each of them.

~Barbara Gianquitto

Loves deeply

 She loves deeply regardless

of the love she gets back in return,

and it is both her biggest strength

and her biggest weakness...

~N.R. Hart

Adulthood

Adulthood is saying, "But after this week things will slow down a bit" over & over until you die.

You alone

owned by you alone

your peace

belongs to you alone

only you

can give it

to yourself

and only you

can take it away

Rise

 RISE

Don't get angry

or enraged

or insulted.

Rise above the b.s.

Flick your light back on,

and shine it brighter than ever,

and fall so deeply in love

with your own life

that anyone who tried to wrong you

becomes a laughable, ridiculous,

distant memory.

Not worthy

How they make you feel

says a lot about them

and nothing about you.

Trust me when I say,

someone who makes you question

if you are worthy of being loved

is not worthy of being loved by you.

~Bianca Sparacino

The Strength In Our Scars

Storm bringer

 From Sacred Dreams

Interesting perspective...

I was ten

when I first heard the term

thunder thighs

and I wondered how to become

the type of woman

strong enough

to hold thunder

in her very legs;

the type of woman

loud enough

to make thunder

when she walks;

a storm bringer

drowning out words that

call attention

to thighs, and not souls

that call attention to guys

and enable trolls.

I wondered how to get

legs of thunder

and if I could get a

tongue of lightning

to go alongside.

If I could really

shake institutions

with each step I took

and make a reputation

from all the foundations

I shook.

My body

rapidly 

expanding

to take up the space

I was told I could never have.

Clapping thunder

into the atmosphere

and the faces of those

hellbent on my silence and

fear.

Hear me and my thighs;

they are more powerful

than the men

who name them.

They are more beautiful

than the world

that hides them.

And I was ten

when I first heard how women

are hated;

how their bodies berated

and their ideas negated

and I was eleven when

men first made me

wary;

and thirteen when

they taught me

storms were too scary;

but I'm now 

thirty plus four

and my thighs keep growing,

asking for more.

They're clapping

and shaking

and making a scene

and bringing a storm

and washing things

clean~

~Kaitlin Shelter Poetry

Only one who can

God doesn't intend for us

to meet all our children's needs

or answer every question

or heal the deepest wounds

or satisfy their greatest longings

or save their souls.

He wants us to tell our children about the only one who can ~ Jesus.

My hurt

I explained my hurt and still got hurt.

So I learned to stop talking.

Tell my children

 Some day I'll tell my children

Someday, when my child is old enough to appreciate what motivates a parent, I'll tell them...

I loved you enough to bug you about where you were going, who with and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough to worry and nag about your health.

I loved you enough to choose your temporary upset, in the hope that lessons would bring you longtime happiness.

I loved you enough to be "overprotective."

I loved you enough to not make excuses for your bad manners and lack of respect.

I loved you enough to choose to put myself last, every day.

I loved you enough to ignore what "every other parent" did.

I loved you enough to remove people that I loved from my life, so that I could protect you.

I loved you enough to let you stumble, fail and fall, so that you could learn to stand alone.

But most of all, I loved you enough to risk you hating me for decisions that I made in the hope that I was doing what was best for you, that was the hardest part of all.

Waiting room

From 3 am Thoughts

I love how you pray for something, it seemingly goes unanswered, and then one day you're at the center of the very thing that once felt impossible. The waiting room isn't punishment. God was positioning you to receive the fullness of your request. Stay in position.

To live

 "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die."  ~Thomas Campbell

Safe now

 from The Modern Break-Up novel

Yes toxic relationships are hard but do you know what else is hard? Your first healthy relationship after a toxic one. No one talks about how hard it is to unlearn all the toxic behaviors you adapted as coping mechanisms. How hard it is to convince yourself that you're safe now.

Genuinely fell

 I genuinely fell for someone when I wasn't searching for love, I was searching for peace. I was searching for myself and found a friend, who became the love of my life. Sometimes you need to focus on growing yourself and you run into what's destined for you.

~@moonssoulchild

Working hard

Still thinking about this one...

Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress,

Working hard for something we love is called passion.

~Simon Sinek

Sad feeling

It's a sad feeling.

For them to never acknowledge 

how much you've done for them.

And for them to never realize

how much you've sacrificed just to help them.

~r.m. drake

The past

It's not the future you're afraid of.

It's repeating the past that makes you anxious.

~Unknown

The valley

 "What do you do when you're in the valley?

You remember what God has done.

When He comforted you.

When He guided you.

When He answered your prayer exactly the way you wanted Him to.

And when He didn't do what you wanted,

but sometime later you realized

it was exactly what you needed.

And you dare to believe that what He's done before, He will do again."

~Craig Groeschel

ADHD

 A.D.H.D.

I want to teach you about ADHD.

I need you to know, I want to explain,

I have a very different brain.

Sights, sounds, and thoughts collide.

What to do first? I can't decide.

Please understand I'm not to blame,

I just can't process things the same.

Take my hand and walk with me, 

Let me show you about ADHD.

I try to behave, I want to be good,

but sometimes I forget to do as I should.

Walk with me and wear my shoes,

You'll see its not the way I'd choose.

I do know what I'm supposed to do,

But my brain is slow getting the message through.

Take my hand and talk with me,

I want to tell you about ADHD.

I rarely think before I talk,

I often run when I should walk.

It's hard to get my school work done,

My thoughts are outside having fun.

I never know just where to start,

I think with my feelings and see with my heart.

Take my hand and stand by me,

I need you to know about my ADHD.

It's hard to explain but I want you to know,

I can't help letting my feelings show.

Sometimes I'm angry, jealous, or sad.

I feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and mad.

I can't concentrate and I lose all my stuff.

I try really hard but it's never enough.

Take my hand and learn with me,

We need to know more about ADHD.

I worry a lot about getting things wrong,

Everything I do takes twice as long.

Everyday is exhausting for me...

Looking through the fog of ADHD.

I want you to know there is more to me.

I'm not defined but it, you see.

I'm sensitive, kind and lots of fun.

I'm blamed for things I haven't done.

I'm the loyalist friend you'll ever know,

I just need a chance to let it show.

Take my hand and look at me,

Just forget about the ADHD.

I have real feelings just like you.

The love in my heart is just as true.

I may have a brain that can never rest,

but please understand I'm trying my best.

I want you to know, I need you to see,

I'm more than the label, I'm still me!

The prize

I will not battle

for your attention

I am not the fighter

I am the prize

~cwpoet

Your tone

Communication tip:

your tone and the way you

say things matters.

You run

If they got you to the point

where you consider

destroying yourself

to prove your love,

you run.

You run

and you don't ever look

back.

~Kalen Dion

Chance after chance

life is too short to keep giving them chance after chance...

knowing damn well they won't change.

~r.m. drake

Lot of work

From Kalendionpoetry.com

Even the things that are meant to be require a lot of work.

Meant to be should never be an excuse to stop trying.

If it's meant to be, it's worth fighting for.

Spiritual abuse

 From Flying Free

Spiritual Abuse: When someone tells you that you don't know God unless you do what they say.

For you

After all you've been through, 

You deserve people who will love you

for you...and not because it is

beneficial to them. That's all.

~r.m. drake

If they stay

 Ask for what you want

always.

If they leave,

they were never going to give it to you.

But if they stay,

if they stay...

L.E. Bowman

Big heart

 Someone once said:

"You know you have a big heart

when you feel bad for doing what

is best for you."

And I felt that.

Trying man

No man is perfect 

but a trying man is everything.

Magnificent insanity

Falling in love is not rational.

It's madness.

A beautiful, wonderful, moment of magnificent insanity.

~Michael Faudet

Born beautiful

We are all born so beautiful

the greatest tragedy is being convinced we are not.

Thought I wasn't looking

 WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be...

When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."

I AM SENDING THIS TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE I KNOW WHO DO SO MUCH FOR OTHERS, BUT THINK THAT NO ONE EVER SEES. LITTLE EYES SEE A LOT...

Hard

 Love is not hard. People are hard. Hard to understand. Hard to hold on to. Hard to let go of. Hard to forget. And hard to love.

~r.m. drake

Made her brave

What made her brave is how she never stopped being there for other people even when she was struggling with her own issues. She was fighting for her own life, still stepping up, going to the wall for others, while never saying a word about the war she was losing. She didn't want to be remembered for her own battle, she wanted to be remembered for simple things like making someone smile or giving someone hope. She wanted more than anything to leave you a little better than you were before. I hope she did.

~Stephanie Bennett-Henry

Casually

 I don't love casually.

When I love, it's fierce.

It's my soul ripped

wide open and raw.

It's my whole heart on display.

It's all I have and

everything I know,

handed over to you, like a gift.

And I hope you unwrap it gently.

~Stephanie Bennett-Henry

Meant to find

I believe I was always

meant to find you.

That, I have no doubts.

I was destined to hear

your voice and the

truth that only you

could share.

I like to believe that

it was impossible for

me to go through this 

life without feeling

you.

JmStorm

Wealth not merit

 "When wealth is passed off as merit, bad luck is seen as bad character. This is how ideologues justify punishing the sick and the poor. But poverty is neither a crime nor a character flaw. Stigmatise those who let people die, not those who struggle to live."  ~Sarah Kendzior

What they lost

leave and they'll search for you 

in everyone else and fail

this is when they'll understand

what they lost.

~r.h. sin

Who you love

 "you don't get to choose who you love. it just

happens on its own, something like a miracle.

like the rain falling from the sky, something

we're not meant to understand, something we

know...we're just meant to do."

~r.m. drake

Glittering eyes

And above all,

watch with glittering

eyes the whole

world around you

because the greatest

secrets are always

hidden in the most

unlikely places.

Those who don't

believe in magic 

will never find it.

~Roald Dahl

Incredibly magnificent

The day you find yourself, you will realise that lovers are not meant to take you on a journey but to walk alongside you, they're not mean to fulfill you but appreciate how complete you are in yourself. Lovers are not meant to break your heart each day, and they're not meant to make you feel unworthy or unloved. The day you find yourself, you will realise how incredibly magnificent you are - imperfect, yes, but filled with so much goodness and light that you will strive to be even better each day. The day you find yourself will be the most beautiful day, because after that, you will never accept less than what you deserve.

~ruby dahl

Take my grief

 From Surviving After The Loss Of An Older Child by I Am A Mother To An Angel

I remember the days of feeling this way...

Take My Grief

Do you want my grief,

Please for a moment,

Take it please,

Hold it next to your heart,

Feel it burn and tear you apart,

Please I beg of you,

Ease my mind,

Give me sleep for just one night,

Get the flashbacks, the heart stopping pangs,

The helplessness from losing my way,

Can you feel my grief,

Hold it close,

It will bring you to your knees,

Your soul will yell, it will scream,

Can you hear it bellow while it takes your peace,

Your body aches, your mind stands still,

You live in the past, where things were real,

Help me friend,

I ask of you,

Take this grief,

For a day or two,

Just long enough, so I can clear my head.

So I can pretend my child's not dead.

Most frustrating

 From 3 am Thoughts

Being called a liar when you're telling the truth is the most frustrating thing in the world.

Galaxies

Never apologize for burning too brightly or collapsing into yourself every night.

That is how galaxies are made.

~Tyler Kent White

They

 From Flying Free

So the church leaders will look with suspicion on 

the victim, seeing her as hysterical or maybe even

lying. They will listen to the abuser's story and 

believe and validate his defense. After all, he seems

so calm and logical and wounded by her

accusations. They'll feel bad for him, pray for him,

offer him free counseling to help with some of his

"minor issues that really aren't that big of a deal

and are only exacerbated by his unsubmissive,

angry, bitter wife." They will praise his efforts to

apologize and change.

Perfect woman

Bob Marley was once asked if the perfect woman existed. 

And he replied: Who cares about perfection?

Even the moon is not perfect,

it is full of craters...

And the sea?

It's too salty and dark in the depths.

The sky?

Always so infinite, that is, the most beautiful things are not perfect, they are special.

Stop wanting to be "perfect."

Try to be free and live doing what you love,

not wanting to please others. 

Hawaiian Rules

 Hawaiian Rules

Never judge a day by the weather.

The best things in life aren't things.

Tell the truth - there's less to

remember.

Speak softly and wear a loud shirt.

Goals are deceptive - the unaimed 

arrow never misses.

He who dies with the most toys - 

still dies.

Age is relative - when you're over

the hill, you pick up speed.

There are 2 ways to be rich - make

more or desire less.

No rain - no rainbows.

Everything that you are

 From You Matter

love yourself

for everything that you

already are

for how much you have

grown

and how far you have

come

With themselves

 If you are willing to look at

another person's behavior toward you

as a reflection of the state of their

relationship with themselves rather

than a statement about your value 

as a person, then you will, over 

a period of time cease

to react at all.

~Yogi Bhajan

Budget

God never gives you a dream that matches your budget.

He 's not checking your bank account He's checking your faith.

About you

 "I always think about you before I fall

asleep. The words you said, the way

you looked. The things we laughed

about, the silent moments we shared.

And when I dream, I'll dream of you.

Because it's about you, it's always 

about you."

So much more

 

She's into authentic hearts and

mind shattering conversations.
Good music and quirky art.

Weirdness and eccentric

people. Love, kindness and

genuine souls. She's into all

this and so much more.

~Melody Lee

(Wordables)

Your own skin

It take years to be comfortable in 

your own skin. Decades. A lifetime.

So feel it. Don't be ashamed of

yourself. Or your body. Of your

feelings. Be you. And do not give

into the anxieties of life. Do not give

into your insecurities. You've been

through wars. Through hell and back

to be where you are. So don't let

anyone make you feel any less. You

know who you are.

~r.m. drake

All of me

 "So you know all of me?"

asked the boy.

"Yes" said the horse.

"And you still love me?"

"We love you all the more."

Forgotten sorrow

 From The Heart Speaks

one day,

you're going to be sitting

on the couch,

eating popcorn with the

love of your life,

smiling and laughing,

and will have forgotten all

of the sorrow,

that once

stole your smile away.

Worth it

 From All that's left unsaid

"She doesn't have trust issues just because she's being distant and cautious. She's just seen a lot before and learned many lessons. She's witnessed b.s. before and you might be making mistakes she promised herself she would never make again. Women crave action, they are interested in what you have to say - but they are drawn to the way you act. Women build walls when they've been through a lot and it's normal that those walls build higher standards. She's not full of herself for making herself unavailable for just anyone. Don't be so quick to think she doesn't care just because she doesn't seem obsessed by everything you do. She will fall for your consistency. You can't give her a vibe one day and expect her to chime it forever. She's in search of herself. You have to be willing to put in work for a girl that's worth it to you."

~pinelopis (life is beautiful advice series)

Find you

I hope

I find you,

and I hope

you love me,

in this and

every life

I'll ever 

live.

That's all

 "people who've been through hell

only want attention and love. they

want peace and honesty, they want

something real and something worth

their time, that's all."

~r.m. drake

That stuff

 the good things in life

- the really good stuff -

you know...

the kind of stuff that 

makes your toes curl

and your teeth rattle.

that stuff is always a bit

exciting, a bit frightening,

a bit wonderful,

a bit terrible,

a bit everything.

go out and find

that stuff.

~Topher Kearby

Devils and angels

 "don't fall in love with me. i'm a devil"

he warned.

"i know, but I still want you." she smiled.

"do you even know what a devil is?" 

he questioned.

"an angel filled with pain." she kissed.

Make room

I have good news. You're 

going to get back more than

what you lost. This chapter is

called make room.

Trying

No man is perfect

but a trying man is

    everything.

Deserve better

 From Thinking Minds

Sometimes you don't get what you want,

because you deserve better.

Her name

 From Poetry lovers

"It's been an 

ugly day," 

she said.

"Tell me something

beautiful?'

And he said 

her name.

A try

From Poetry lovers

"It's impossible,"

said pride.

'It's risky,"

said experience.

"It's pointless,"

said reason.

"Give it a try,"

whispered the heart.

~Unknown

Doesn't matter

 From The Velveteen Rabbit

"To the boy he was always

beautiful, and that was all that

the little Rabbit cared about. He

didn't mind how he looked to 

other people, because the

nursery magic had made him

Real, and when you are Real

shabbiness doesn't matter."

This and every life

I hope

I find you,

and I hope

you love me,

in this and 

every life

I'll ever

live.

~Topher Kearby

Had a feeling

 i had a feeling about

you. like there was 

something worth knowing.

something worth under-

standing. and although

I didn't know it at the 

time, it was something

worth loving.

~JmStorm

You and God

 I know I've posted this before, but a great reminder..

People are often unreasonable and self-centered. 

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you.

Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous. 

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway.

~Mother Teresa

Warrior at heart

 By Kiana Azizian, Soft

and that was the thing about her,

she kept on surviving.

with bullet holes in her lungs,

and knife marks etched into her back.

she never let anything get in her way,

resilient.

a fighter,

not by choice,

but a warrior at heart.

The why

 From Poetry Lovers

I love you wildly,

madly,

and without reason;

I love you softly,

with tender hands and

softened spirit.

I love you patiently,

but outlined

in an urgency I cannot

define.

I love you

and you can take your time

discovering all 

the hows;

I love you 

and you will never doubt

the why.

~Tyler Knott Gregson

Know better

From Han Solos Smile

I do know better.

But sometimes

it's liberating

to do something

for the sheer 

pleasure and lack

of common sense.

Like falling in love. 

Saying yes

 From @Peacefulmindpeacefullife

If we don't say yes

authentically, we

say yes resentfully

and that leads to

far more problems

than if we'd said no

in the first place.

~Nat Lue

Learn nothing

You learn nothing

from life if you

think you're right

all the time.

Wide open

 i was watching the sun rise

and you were sleeping 

by my side.

i smiled to myself and thought

so this is what it feels like

to dream with eyes wide open.

Give Love Trust Listen

  Give.

But don't allow yourself 

to be used.

Love.

But don't allow your

heart to be abused.

Trust.

But don't be naive.

Listen.

But don't lose your

own voice.

Your smile

From ThePacifiedSoul

your smile is the

prettiest thing,

I have ever captured

with my eyes open

Magic spell

 From Poetry & Every Emotion

"Do you have a magic spell to return

someone to life?" she said.

"No," the witch said, "I'm sorry."

"Oh."

"Why don't you tell me about them?"

"Will that bring them back?"

"For us. For a little while

Stories are a different kind of magic."

~A Small Fiction

Otherness

 From Poetry Lovers

She always had

that about her, that

look of otherness, of

eyes that see things

much too far, and of

thoughts that wander

off the edge of the world.

~Joanne Harris

Measure

The measure of the hell you're able to endure

is the measure of your love.

Poor

Some people are poor,

all they have is money.

Everyone else

I'm so brutally hard with myself

and so unquestionably soft with everyone else.

~gemma troy

Not even asking

She's not even asking you to

go above and beyond. She just 

wants you to at least match her 

effort.

~Horacio Jones

Hit the floor

 From A Brave Soul

...something very beautiful happens to

 people when their world has fallen apart:

a humility, a nobility, a higher

intelligence emerges at just the point

when our knees hit the floor.

~Marianna Williamson

Hers alone

She is the strongest 

person you could ever

meet. She has never 

been a quitter and she

is not about to start

now. Life has tried to

get the best of her,

but the best of her 

is hers and hers alone.

~j. 

iron word

Couldn't resist

 From The Heart Speaks

I wasn't looking to dance

but your soul sang a song I couldn't resist

Can't be ugly

 I know I've posted this before, but came across it again...

From Ravenous Butterflies

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." "Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?" "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

~Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit, 1922

Likely event

 From Poetry light

In the likely event that I don't get the

privilege of growing old with you,

if we don't get that chance.

If the universe conspires against us

and oceans stand in our way.

If the fates betray us and our story fades.

I will settle for

one minute,

a few moments,

a fleeting second,

just to know

you have lived.

~mia hollow

(Side note: the term/phrase "likely event" is haunting)

So close

 Sonnet XVII

by Pablo Neruda

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,

or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.

I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,

in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms

but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;

thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,

risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.

I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;

so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, or you,

so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,

so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

Them

 From The Heart Speaks

Study them,

understand them,

know why and

not just how they

like their coffee,

find what makes

them smile and

make it a point to give

it to them often,

compliment them in 

the way they like to

be complimented,

know their favorite

Chinese order and

order it, kiss them

like they desire to

be kissed, and above

all else, never make

them have to ask.

~a.r. asher

Love again

 Even if your heart has been broken. I hope you find the courage within you to continue to share it. To continue to fight for it. To stand up for what you believe in. And I hope you find it within you to love again. No matter how badly you have been hurt.

~r.m. drake

Better days

 by Topher Kearby

it takes a lot of strength

to pull yourself up when your

bones feel like concrete and 

your blood is slow like syrup.

the world is just heavy sometimes,

and the days show up swinging.

there's nothing much more to do

in those moments than survive.

knowing that you have so many

days still to thrive in life.

so, if you're going through a 

rough patch, the long night has

turned into a difficult week or 

more, know that you're not alone.

give yourself time to heal, and

believe in your heart that there

are so many better days to come.

Full

The mind cannot at the same time

be full of God and full of fear.

~Max Lucado

Begin to remember

 As August is closing in...

We begin to remember not 

just that you died, but

that you lived --

--And that your life 

gave us memories

too beautiful to forget.

Deals graciously

Bible Gateway Verse of the Day

A good man deals graciously and lends;

He will guide his affairs with discretion.

~Psalm 112:5