Winners versus Losers

The Winner is always a part of the answer;

The Loser is always a part of the problem.

The Winner always has a program;

The Loser always has an excuse.

The Winner says, “Let me do it for you;”

The Loser says, “That’s not my job.”

The Winner sees an answer for every problem;

The Loser sees a problem in every answer.

The Winner says, “It may be difficult but it’s possible;”

The Loser says, “It may be possible but it’s too difficult.”

– Unknown

“She had blue skin,
And so did he.
He kept it hid
And so did she.
They searched for blue
Their whole life through,
Then passed right by-
And never knew.”
― Shel Silverstein, Every Thing on It

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile
And mouth with myriad subtleties,

Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but oh great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile,
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!

Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1872 – 1906

Love is….

Love makes us patient,
Understanding, and kind,
And we judge with our hearts
And not with our minds,
For as soon as love enters
the heart’s open door,
The faults we once saw are
not there anymore.

Helen Steiner Rice

Desiderata
Max Ehrmann

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 to the dull and 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.

May you find serenity and tranquillity
in a world you may not always understand.

May the pain you have known and the
conflict you have experienced
give you the strength
to walk through life facing each new
situation with courage and optimism.

Always know that there are those
whose love and understanding
will always be there,
even when you feel most alone.

May you discover enough goodness
in others to believe in a world of peace.

May a kind word, a reassuring touch,
a warm smile be yours every day of your life,
and may you give these gifts
as well as receive them.

Remember the sunshine
when the storm seems unending.

Teach love to those who know hate,
and let that love embrace you
as you go into the world.

May the teaching of those you admire
become part of you, so that you
may call upon them.

Remember, those whose lives you
have touched and who have touched yours
are always a part of you, even
if the encounters were less than
you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter
that is more important than its’ form.

May you not become too concerned
with material matters, but instead place
immeasurable value on the
goodness in your heart.

Find time in each day to see the
beauty and love in the world around you.
Realize that each person has
limitless abilities, but each of
us is different in our own way.

What you may feel you lack in
one regard may be more than
compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the
present may become one
of your strengths in the future.

May you see your future as one
filled with promise and possibility.

May you always feel loved.
Unknown

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRENGTH AND COURAGE

It takes strength to be firm.
It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to stand guard.
It takes courage to let down your guard.

It takes strength to conquer
It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain.
It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in.
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend’s pain.
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide feelings.
It takes courage to show them.

It takes strength to endure abuse.
It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone.
It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love.
It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive.
It takes courage to live.

~~~ Judge Gently ~~~

Pray, don’t find fault with the man that limps
Or stumbles along the road.
Unless you have worn the shoes he wears
Or struggled beneath his load.

There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt
Though hidden away from view.
Or the burden he bears placed on your back
Might cause you to stumble too.

Don’t sneer at the man who’s down today
Unless you have felt the blow
That caused his fall or felt the shame
That only the fallen know.

You may be strong but still the blows
That was his if dealt to you
In the selfsame way, at the selfsame time
Might cause you to stagger too.

Don’t be too harsh with the man that sins
Or pelt him with word or stone
Unless you are sure – yea, doubly sure –
That you have no sins of your own.

For you know, perhaps,
If the tempter’s voice should whisper as soft to you
As it did to him when he went astray
It might cause you to falter too.

Author Unknown

We Wear the Mask

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,–
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be overwise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!

Paul Laurence Dunbar

THE SINGLE PARENTS PRAYER

LORD GRANT ME . . .

Time enough to do all the chores,
join in the games, help with the lessons,
say the night prayers, and much more.

Strength enough to be bread baker
and bread winner,
knee patcher and peace maker,
ball player and billjuggler.

Hands soft enough to hug and to hold,
to tickle and touch,
yet strong enough to pick up
and put away, and then to iron and fold.

Heart enough to share and to care,
to listen and to understand,
and to make this home the best
a single parent can.

— Author Unknown