“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” – Fred Rogers

How true this is…I remember a video released after the bombing at the Boston Marathons…the blast occurred, and you could see either people running toward it, or running from it. God – help me be someone who always runs to help people.

“Someone once told me the definition of Hell: The last day you have on earth, the person you became will meet the person you could have become.”

This is terribly frightening – unless we live a life where we just go for it – dare to dream – decide to live it all out as hard as we can.

When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country.

But it, too, seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family.

From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country, and who knows, I may have even changed the world.

-Written on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in Westminster Abby

In a family like mine, with so many different views…this rings very true to me. But in general, as well…we scream so loudly for the world to change and conform to ourselves…does that help at all a?

“Be humble for you are made of earth. Be noble for you are made of stars.”

-Serbian proverb

i can’t even. i just feel.

“Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on snow,

I am the sunlight on ripened grain, I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush, I am the sweet uplifting hush

Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not here, I did not die.”

“Only after the last tree has been cut down. Only after the last river has been poisoned. Only after the last fish has been caught. Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten”. Prophecy of the Cree Native American Tribe

Is adult entertainment killing our children? Or is killing our children entertaining adults?”
~Marilyn Manson

this really gets me. there are so many things we don’t know about this phenomenon, as it is relatively recent, but….if we didn’t pay so much media attention, would it be the same? More importantly, if we didn’t have such lax gun control….

I was in Germany a number of years ago, and took a picture of a wall inside a prison cell of writing that said, “Wenn keiner an dich denkt, deine Mutter denkt an dich. -Hans Weinshemie, 1944”

A rough translation: “When no one thinks about you, your mother thinks about you.”

That’s about the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.

“Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” – Arthur C. Clarke

When I freak out about God…I think of quotes like this. And I allow myself to rest.