It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.  ~Robert Louis Stevenson

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Standing by,
All the way.
Here to help you through your day.

Holding you up,
When you are weak,
Helping you find what it is you seek.

Catching your tears,
When you cry.
Pulling you through when the tide is high.

Just being there,
Through thick and thin,
All just to say, you are my friend.

- Brittani Kokko -

photo:  Thinkstock/BananaStock/Girl Embracing Boy on Footbridge

We tend to take for granted all of the wonderful miracles that happen everyday around us.  Nature, in particular, is very generous in providing these miracles yet too often we are too busy or preoccupied to notice.  Slow down, take a moment to appreciate the little wonders that are available to us.

“Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” – Rachel Carson

photo:  Thinkstock/PhotoDisc/One Daisy against the Blue Sky

Sometimes we wonder how we ended up where we are.  It is a combination of all of the decisions we have made in the past as well as some events that have randomly occurred for which we had no control over.  We make decisions everyday, most are small and of little importance, but some greatly impact how we choose to live our lives.  For example, did we choose to finish high school or go to college?  Did we decide to become a artist instead of a architect?  Did we choose to have children?  You can think of all these decisions like branches on a tree.  Each decision takes you to a different part of the tree.  Looking back, would you do anything differently?   We cannot change many of these decisions we’ve made, but we can learn from them.  What is most important is to make peace with our past, accept the present, and consciously live each new day in a way that is authentic to who we are.

photo:  Thinkstock/istockphoto

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.–Steve Jobs

photo:  Thinkstock/Zoonar/Sunset Heart Shape

“It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”  - Robert F. Kennedy

photo:  Thinkstock/Top Photo Group

“You were the one who made things different, you were the one who took me in. You were the one thing I could count on, above all, you were my friend.”
- Tom Petty

Remember back to those carefree days when there were no bills, no responsibilities, and nowhere you had to be?  You were a kid and most kids have few, if any, worries.  That is the innocence of childhood, a gloriously simple time.  You’re older now and have to deal with reality but you can mindfully recapture some of that innocent spirit.  How?  Do something silly, dance with no inhibitions, go for a bike ride, focus your thoughts on a wonderful childhood memory, play with your dog, fly a kite.  Whatever your preference, taking yourself back to those happy carefree days will do wonders for your heart and soul.

photo:  Thinkstock/istockphotos/Free and Happy

There are two ways of living: a man may be casual and simply exist, or constructively and deliberately try to do so. The constructive idea implies a constructiveness not only about one’s own life, but about that of society, and the future possibilities of mankind. – Sir Julian Huxley

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The Soldiers Life by SSgt. Scott E. Hilligoss

The soldiers life is not for all
A soldier must be willing to give his all
He is overworked and underpaid
A truer patriot was never made
Ready to go at any time
Wherever there is trouble or the first sign
His courage and honor are unsurpassed
Ready and willing to complete the task
Travelling to lands both near and far
He stands his post and looks at the stars
Wondering what he might have done
If he had not chosen to carry a gun
Remember the next time that you are driving by
And see the flag flying proud and high
That somewhere out there a soldier stands
Weary and cold in a foreign land
Protecting our country from our foes
Standing tall and proud come rain or snow.

photo:  Thinkstock/istockphotos/Military Father and Daughter Reunited