Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

Follow the three R’s:
- Respect for self.
- Respect for others.
- Responsibility for all your actions.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.

When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Spend some time alone everyday.

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.

Be gentle with the earth.

Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Henri, you blessed our lives in so many ways. You warmed our hearts and made us laugh. And now you’ve made us cry. But we’ll try to get past that, I know you’d hate us to be unhappy. So I’ll try to stop mourning your loss, and instead celebrate your life. Short though it was, you lived it to the max. You were a constant source of pleasure, from the day we got you. Your escape-artist skills earned you the nickname “Henri Houdini”, you were such a clever boy (anybody who thinks that lockable cat-flaps can keep a determined cat indoors: think again). You purred without fail whenever one of us was near, just because you loved us. The little chit-chat songs you used to sing were lovely. Your rolling-over-scratch-my-tummy-don’t-you-just-love-me act makes me smile in remembrance. You were and are an awesome specimen of cat-hood.

This video was taken on Sunday, just three days ago:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Be at peace.

This day better be worth getting up twice for!

Don’t you just hate it when that happens?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Why not leave a comment and let me know?

For some reason, I’ve been listening to Lily Allen’s “It’s Not Me, It’s You” tonight. This could easily have been called “The Lighter Side of Lily”, as – aside from the mandatory (yet very good) scathing social commentary – a sense of hope and even romance emerges, especially after several runs though. Favourite track is “Chinese”, it almost oozes cuddliness, and emphasises her honest voice talent. Nice one, Lily.

And then there’s Hazel O’Connor’s “Will You?” from the movie “Breaking Glass”. More specifically: Wesley McGoogan’s penetrating, haunting sax solo that perfectly matches the mood and lyrics of the music. Strong stuff indeed.

And on a TOTALLY different tack, there’s P!nk’s “Funhouse”. I only really discovered P!nk earlier this year, although I vaguely recall listening to “Family Portrait” while walking to and from work during winter many years ago. “Funhouse” is an entirely different animal. If anything, there is even more raw energy here, but it seems more controlled. There’s also a lot more fun (although it is not entirely devoid of sad angst), and I have a lot of appreciation for artists who not only don’t take themselves seriously, but actively poke fun at the whole idea. I have to wonder what would happen if P!nk and Lily got together…. all that power, talent and attitude… hmmm, could be fun! Anyway, favourite track here is “Glitter in the Air”, a slightly sad but oddly optimistic ballad.

So what catches your ear at the moment?

Almost silently, so as not to scare the fish, Bob says, ‘I think I’m gonna divorce my wife. She hasn’t spoken to me in over 2 months.’

Bill continues slowly sipping his beer then thoughtfully says, ‘You better think it over, Bob. Women like that are hard to find.’

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ”In five years, will this matter?”.
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

Twenty years! The very best.
And I can’t wait to spend the rest
Of this life with you, my dear,
I’ll cherish every single year.

Twenty years? Bring sixty more!
For life could never be a bore.
With you beside me all the way,
And love around us every day.

Twenty years, I’ve loved them all.
We’ve laughed and cried and had a ball.
Each year’s been the best so far.
The best is yet to come, hurrah!

Twenty years, and every one
Filled with joy and love and fun.
Thank you, Elaine, for this: our life.
You make it all worth while,

My Wife.

And God said, No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourselves.

And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam and Eve. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and Eve and he wagged his tail. And Adam said, Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and I cannot think of a name for this new animal.

And God said, No problem. Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG.

And Dog lived with Adam and Eve and was a companion to them and loved them. And they were comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail.

After a while, it came to pass that an angel came to the Lord and said: Lord, Adam and Eve have become filled with pride. They strut and preen like peacocks and they believe they are worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught them that they are loved, but perhaps too well.

And God said, No problem! I will create for them a companion who will be with them forever and who will see them as they are. The companion will remind them of their limitations, so they will know that they are not always worthy of adoration. And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam and Eve.

And Cat would not obey them. And when Adam and Eve gazed into Cat’s eyes, they were reminded that they were not the supreme beings. And Adam and Eve learned humility. And they were greatly improved.

And God was pleased.

And Dog was happy.

And Cat didn’t give a shit one way or the other.

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann.

There is some confusion about whether or not the copyright on this is still valid. Since it appears in full all over the net without any copyright notice, there shouldn’t be a problem with it appearing here too. However, if you’re the copyright owner and don’t like it being here, let me know and I’ll remove it.