I've learned - 
that you cannot make someone love you. 
All you can do is be someone who can be loved. 
The rest is up to them. 
I've learned - 
that no matter how much I care, 
some people just don't care back. 
I've learned - 
that it takes years to build up trust, 
and only seconds to destroy it. 
I've learned - 
that it's not what you have in your life 
but who you have in your life that counts. 
I've learned - 
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. 
After that, you'd better know something. 
I've learned - 
that you shouldn't compare 
yourself to the best others can do. 
I've learned - 
that you can do something in an instant 
that will give you heartache for life. 
I've learned - 
that it's taking me a long time 
to become the person I want to be. 
I've learned - 
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. 
It may be the last time you see them. 
I've learned - 
that you can keep going 
long after you think you can't. 
I've learned - 
that we are responsible for what we do, 
no matter how we feel. 
I've learned - 
that either you control your attitude 
or it controls you. 
I've learned - 
that regardless of how hot and steamy 
a relationship is at first, the passion fades 
and there had better be something else   to take its place. 
I've learned - 
that heroes are the people 
who do what has to be done 
when it needs to be done, 
regardless of the consequences. 
I've learned - 
that money is a lousy way of keeping score. 
I've learned - 
that my best friend and I can do anything 
or nothing and have the best time. 
I've learned - 
that sometimes the people you expect 
to kick you when you're down 
will be the ones to help you get back up. 
I've learned - 
that sometimes when I'm angry 
I have the right to be angry, 
but that doesn't give me 
the right to be cruel. 
I've learned - 
that true friendship continues to grow, 
even over the longest distance. 
Same goes for true love. 
I've learned - 
that just because someone doesn't love 
you the way you want them to doesn't 
mean they don't love you with all they have. 
I've learned - 
that 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. 
I've learned - 
that you should never tell a child 
 their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. 
Few things are more humiliating, and 
what a tragedy it would be if they believed it. 
I've learned - 
that your family won't always be there for you. 
It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to 
can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust 
people again.  Families aren't biological. 
I've learned - 
that no matter how good a friend is, 
they're going to hurt you every once in a while 
and you must forgive them for that. 
I've learned - 
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. 
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself. 
I've learned - 
that no matter how bad your heart is broken 
the world doesn't stop for your grief. 
I've learned - 
that our background and circumstances 
may have influenced who we are, 
but we are responsible for who we become. 
I've learned - 
that just because two people argue, 
it doesn't mean they don t love each other 
And just because they don't argue, 
it doesn't mean they do. 
I've learned - 
that we don't have to change friends 
if we understand that friends change. 
I've learned - 
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. 
It could change your life forever. 
I've learned - 
that two people can look at the exact same thing 
and see something totally different. 
I've learned - 
that no matter how you try to protect your children, 
they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process. 
I've learned - 
that your life can be changed in a matter of 
hours by people who don t even know you. 
I've learned - 
that even when you think you have no more 
to give, when a friend cries out to you, 
you will find the strength to help. 
I've learned - 
that credentials on the wall 
do not make you a decent human being. 
I've learned - 
that the people you care most about in life 
are taken from you too soon. 
I've learned - 
that it's hard to determine where to draw 
the line between being nice and not hurting 
people's feelings and standing up 
for what you believe 

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking with the
Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes of his life. For each scene, he
noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to him, and
the other to the Lord. 

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked
back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along
the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed
that it had happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered the man and he questioned the Lord about
it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me
all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times
in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand
why, when I needed you most, you would leave me." 
The Lord replied, "My precious child, I love you and I would
never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see
only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." 

I received this letter under my pillow from my 15 year old daughter
last night and just had to share it with you all. I left her father when
she was 4 months old, due to severe abuse and have been through many
ups/downs over the past 15 years. Through all of this, I've somehow managed to
raise a wonderful spirited human being in spite of the court battles to
maintain custody, inner family turmoil, being a single-working parent,
struggling to make ends meet day-to-day, as well as both of us being pieces of
the big puzzle in this crazy mixed up world we live in today! 

After being single for 15 years, I recently moved us (last summer)
from the security of friends, job and a home in Idaho (but it was a
decision we made together) back to California to be with a wonderful man whom we
thought we'd be with "forever." Things and people aren't always what
they appear to be. After always being independent, I have been unable to
find work, and the relationship is crumbling. 

When I approached my daughter two nights ago with the possibility of
moving again, turning our lives upside down, pulling her out of
school that she has adjusted to, wonderful new friends she has make and
about moving back to Idaho, this is the letter I received. I hope she is
an inspiration to many other single parents out there that you can do
it alone. I am truly blessed! 

Dear Mom, 

I'm writing this letter, not as a daughter but as an admirer. I have
been studying your movements and actions for the past 15 years. I have
been very lucky to have you as the person I must observe. I have learned
so much being your student. I have learned responsibility, loyalty,
love, patience, stress control, cooking 101, the processes of decision
making, how to squish the little green worms on flowers, but above all I
have learned to love unconditionally. 

You might ask yourself why the criminy would I choose a person like
yourself to have as a role model. Well, from the first sight I could
tell that you were a strong, open minded, independent and free spirited
individual. Along the course of these 15 short years, I have found
things about you that make me love and cherish you even more. Now, I must
warn you, some of these things are so little that you wouldn't even
think, and you might even hope that no one would ever pick up on. But little
did you know that I have been taking notes all these years and I believe you
said yourself that nothing ever gets past me! so here goes! 

     Your love of nature. 
     Your incredibly strong personality. 
     Raising me alone, for 15 years. 
     Believing in me. 
     Driving me everywhere. 
     Bugging me about not having warm enough clothes on. 
     Making great homemade dinners. 
     The habits that have rubbed off on me, i.e., talking to the
television. 
     Bringing me orange juice every morning. 
     For being such a great photographer. 
     Your ability to make the warmest fires. 
     Keeping holiday traditions weather (sp!) they are silly or not.
     The fake smile you get when someone takes your picture. 
     Always understanding my need to be crazy and stupid sometimes. 
     And occasionally joining in. 
     For putting up with my habit of singing one line of a song for
hours on end.
     And last but not least, the little kid voice you still get when
you talk to my friends. 

These are just some of the little things that fit together to make
you the person you are. 

Okay, now, it's my turn to be the daughter. I just want you to know
that no matter what comes of our lives that I will always love and
respect you. I have never and will never think that you have made a mistake
because I know that you would never do something without truly believing in
it. I have always felt safe having you around. 

I always find comfort in knowing that you are right down the hall if
I ever need you. I want you to know that whatever we decide to do that
I have faith, knowing that you are in the lead. I know that God had a
purpose in bringing us to Chico, it might have just been a life
lesson, but I have faith that this was not a mistake but that it was just
part of the big scheme of things. I love you so much and I have learned from
the best teacher that support is a key thing, and I truly support you
and admire you for everything you are! Love always and forever, 

Ashley Bug 

by Terian

Last night I had a dream; 
It had a tale to tell.

I dreamed I saw an angel;
Poor thing, he wasn't feeling well.

His body bruised and battered
His wings were ripped and torn -

This angel could hardly walk,
He looked so tired and worn.

I walked right up to him to ask;
"Angel? How can this be?"

He turned around and paused a bit,
Then he spoke these words to me:

"I'm your Guardian Angel,
A great task as you can see.

You've run amok most all your life:
Look what it's done to me.

These bruises are from shielding you
In times both dire and ill.

Those alcoholic bouts and drugs you've used
I've often paid the bill

You see my wings are ripped and torn;
A noble badge I wear;

How often they have flown you
From evils unaware.

Each mark is it's own story
Of deadly wounds destroyed.,

You made me wish - more than once -
That I was unemployed.

If only you could make it
Standing on your own;

Oh, don't you fret or worry -
But please try to remember -
I'm getting old and frail."

I could not believe all I had heard,
Let alone how much he cared.

I wept upon his shoulder,
Then left him in despair.

The next day I sat and pondered:
Should I really try?

And in the distance I thought I heard;
A frail old angel cry.

To deal with the problem, top management brought in a team of psychologists to determine the
difference between the creative R & D people and the less-creative ones. The hope was that
their findings would stimulate the less-creative people. 

The psychologists asked the scientists all kinds of questions. They asked about educational
backgrounds, about the environment in which their favorite colors were. After three months, the
psychologists found that the biggest difference between the two groups was that the creative
people thought they were creative and the less-creative people did not. As a consequence, those
who thought they were creative acted like it. They ignored old methods and hatched new ideas.
The less-creative people did things as they had always been done. 

Some "I'm not creative" people stifle themselves because they think creativity belongs only to
people like Beethoven, Einstein, and Shakespeare. These are some of the superluminaries of the
creative world, but by and large, these people didn't get their big ideas out of the blue. 

On the contrary, most of their big ideas came from paying attention to their small ideas, playing
with them, and making them big ideas. 

One of the major factors that differentiates creative people from less-creative people is that
creative people pay attention to their small ideas. They know that a small idea can lead to a big
breakthrough, and they believe that they are capable of making it happen.