"Do not assume that she who seeks to comfort you now, lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes do you good. Her life may also have much sadness and difficulty, that remains far beyond yours. Were it otherwise, she would never have been able to find these words."

~ Rainer Maria Rilke


"Illegitimi Non Carborundum: Don't let the bastards grind you down."

~ General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell


Desiderata

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

My approach to friending:

Some people add "friends" willy nilly, regardless of whether they know someone or not. That's not my style. I usually only add people to my friends list if they are people I have met in real life AND have gotten to know at some level. If that doesn't describe you, please do not take offense if I decline a friend request. If you live in the area, get to know me a bit first, THEN request the add. If you live elsewhere, I guess it will depend on whether our paths cross some day.

My approach to tribe membership:

Sometimes I join tribes out of curiosity, skim through the posts, and then leave. Sometimes I stick around awhile and lurk. The big thing is, even in the tribes that are my favorites, I don't post that often. If I ask to join your tribe, and I later decide to leave, please don't take offense. I'm just wandering around, and I don't mean any harm by it.

I have pared my list of tribes down to relatively few tribes, and I don't spend as much time in tribe as a lot of people I know. I'm finding I just don't have the bandwidth in my life right now to handle a large volume of tribe postings.