Natural Laws

"We cannot escape remembering the important things that have happened, and we cannot escape the awareness of the important things that have not happened." — Ralph Salisbury, CHEROKEE

Our universe functions by natural laws, where change is constant and everything on earth has a purpose.  Nothing is ever really lost or destroyed — only rearranged and reused to build something new. Maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had, and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated. Mistakes are simply lessons to be learned but NEVER to be repeated. The most successful life and brightest future is based on those remembered but forgiven mistakes, failures and heartaches. We often don't know what we have until we lose it, but just as often, we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything — they just make the most of everything. Hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy. Your background and circumstances have influenced who you are, but YOU are responsible for who you become. Either you control your attitude — or it controls you. Even when you have a RIGHT to be angry, you don't have the right to be cruel. You are still responsible for what you do, no matter how you feel. It isn't always enough to be forgiven by others though — you have to learn to forgive yourself also. It will probably take longer than expected to become the person you want to be.

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."  — Annie Dillard

Even when you think you have no more to give, if a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help. Best friends can do anything, or nothing, and have the best time. They can sit on a porch and swing without ever saying a word, then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation they've ever had. No matter how good a friend is though, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that. True friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.  Same goes for true love. Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different. We don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

"The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for."  — Joseph Addison

Your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you, or you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.  We are supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right ones so that when we finally meet the right person, we know how to be grateful for the gift. The people you care about most in your life may be taken from you too soon, so you should always leave loved ones with loving words — it may be the last time you see them. No matter how bad your heart is broken though, the world doesn't stop for your grief. You can keep going long after you think you can't. Heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences. When the door of happiness closes, another opens; but don't look so long at the closed door that you don't see the new one which has opened.

"The significant business of your life is alive and well, awaiting discovery, within your very soul. You and I were born to come into ourselves as complete and distinctive persons. Accepting this, we build a valuable life." — Marsha Sinetar

You shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret — it could change your life forever. Always try to put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that something could hurt you, it probably will hurt the other person, too. Do something nice for someone every single day, even if it is simply to leave them alone. Just because two people argue doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue doesn't mean they do love each other. Forget deceptive looks or fading wealth; go for someone who makes your heart smile because it only takes a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but, if it doesn't, be content that it grew in yours. Sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up. Money is a lousy way of keeping score, and credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

"The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival." — Aristotle

The natural laws maintaining our life cycles are life, love, intelligence, soul, principle, and truth — none of which can be altered or controlled by man. Instead of stressing or trying to control that which is beyond human control, we all can access these powers  any time we wish by loving life, knowing truth, living by principles, and following our intelligence. Acknowledge that you can only control your willingness to accept what is, along with the assurance that every setback is only temporary.