At the center of the universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and that wants the best for every person. Anything we can do to help foster the intellect and spirit and emotional growth of our fellow human beings, that is our job. Those of us who have this particular vision must continue against all odds. Life is for service. -Fred Rogers (of "Mister Rogers" TV fame) We all have a spiritual purpose, a mission, that we have been pursuing without being fully aware of it, and once we bring it completely into consciousness, our lives can take off. –James Redfield , Canadian Author, ''The Celestine Prophesy'' The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled. -Plutarch, 46-120 AD, Greek Essayist, Biographer You never achieve real success unless you like what you are doing. -Dale Carnegie {1888-1955 American Author & Achievement Expert} Our deepest fear is NOT that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God; your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. -Marianne Williamson 1952-, American Author, Lecturer on Spirituality There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will be to treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity. -Nathaniel Branden, American Expert on Self-esteem, Author, Psychologist You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind. -Mahatma Gandhi ,1869-1948, Indian Political and Spiritual Leader If the creator had a purpose in equipping us with a neck, he surely meant us to stick it out. -Arthur Koestler, 1905-1983, Hungarian Born British Writer You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. -Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929-1968, Civil Rights Leader I do not know what path in life you will take, but I do know this: If, on that path, you do not find a way to serve, you will never be happy. –Albert Schweitzer. 1875-1965, German Born Medical Missionary, Theologian, Musician, and Philosopher Love cures people, both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it. -Dr. Karl Menninger Personal development is your springboard to personal excellence. Ongoing, continuous, non-stop personal development literally assures you that there is no limit to what you can accomplish. –Brian Tracy, American Trainer, Speaker, Author, Businessman Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable, but rather what is impossible. And by visualizing the impossible, they begin to see it as possible. -Cherie Carter-Scott, Author, If Life is A Game, These are the Rules Love one another and you will be happy. It's as simple and as difficult as that. -Michael Leunig When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. -Alexander Graham Bell, 1847-1922, British-born American Inventor of Telephone The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good. -Ann Landers, American Advice Columnist Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action. -Benjamin Disraeli, 1804-1881, British Statesman, Prime Minister Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illumines it. Martin Luther King, Jr. You can have anything you want in life if you will help enough other people get what they want. -Zig Ziglar, American Sales Trainer, Author, Motivational Speaker The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love. -Hubert H. Humphrey (1911-78), 36th US Vice President, Democrat Two roads diverged in a wood, and I ... I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. -Robert Frost, 1875-1963, American Poet If Columbus had turned back, no one would have blamed him. Of course, no one would have remembered him either. -Source Unknown -It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, 'What are we busy about?’ -Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862, American Essayist, Poet, Naturalist It is far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help. -Judith Martin/Miss Manners A professional is a person who can do his best at a time when he doesn't particularly feel like it. -Alistair Cooke, 1908-, British Broadcaster, Journalist Courage is the mastery of fear, not the absence of fear. -Mark Twain, 1835-1910, American Humorist, Writer I would say the grass is greenest where you water it. -Unknown Act as if you have already achieved your goal and it is yours. -Dr. Robert Anthony {American educator} The thing that lies at the foundation of positive change, the way I see it, is service to a fellow human being. -Lech Walesa, 1943-, Polish Trade Union Leader, Politician Like the fish, swimming in the vast sea and resting in its deeps, and like the bird, boldly mounting high in the sky, so the soul feels its spirit moving through the vastness and the depth and the unutterable richness of love . . . and then love makes the soul so bold that it no longer fears man or friend, angel or saint or God Himself in all that it does or abandons, in all its working or resting. -Bd. Beatrice of Nazareth Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. -Martin Luther King, Jr. Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it. -Danny Kaye, 1913-1987, American Stage, Film, Television Entertainer We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment. -Jim Rohn, American Businessman, Author, Speaker, Philosopher A good picture is equivalent to a good deed. –Vincent Van Gogh, 1853-1890, Dutch Painter I've finally stopped running away from myself. Who else is there better to be? –Goldie Hawn, American Actress/Comedienne/Producer They are never alone that are accompanied with noble thoughts. –Sir Philip Sidney, 1554-1586, English Poet/Courtier/Soldier To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience. –St. Teresa of Avila, 1515-1582, Spanish Saint and Mystic She who reconciles the ill-matched threads of her life, and weaves them gratefully into a single cloth--it's she who drives the loudmouths from the hall and clears it for a different celebration where the one guest is You. -Rainer Maria Rilke If you work for one penny less than minimum wage, then you're working for God. Because God always works for one penny less than minimum wage. -Homeless Man 5/24/05 Charlotte, NC Whenever I hear, “It can't be done,” I know I'm close to success. –Michael Flatley, Irish-American Step Dancer I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. –Jimmy Dean, American Singer/Television Performer/Sausage Entepreneur The trick is growing up without growing old. –Casey Stengel, 1890-1975, Hall of Fame American Baseball Manager and Player Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you. –Marsha Norman, American Dramatist and Pulitzer Prize Winner Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway. –John Wayne, 1907-1979, American Movie Actor and Director Happiness is something that comes into our lives through doors we don't even remember leaving open. –Rose Wilder Lane, 1886-1968, American Writer and Journalist It's all right letting yourself go as long as you can let yourself back. –Mick Jagger, English Rock Singer If I keep a green bough in my heart, the singing bird will come. –Chinese Proverb Never look down on anybody unless you are helping them up. –Jesse Jackson, American Clergyman and Civil Rights Leader You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?" -George Bernard Shaw It takes as much courage to have tried and failed as it does to have tried and succeeded. -Anne Morrow Lindbergh If you see in your dreams, then why not dream as you see. -John Cane By learning you will teach; by teaching you will learn. –Latin Proverb Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. –Judy Garland, 1922-1969, American Film Actress and Singer Is the glass half empty, half full, or twice as large as it needs to be? –Source Unknown Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. –Leo Buscaglia, 1924-1998, American Author and Expert on Love and Human Relationships The successful man is the one who had a chance and took it. -Roger Babson Your future depends upon many things, but mostly on you. -Frank Tyger Either I will find a way, or I will make one. –Sir Philip Sidney, 1554-1586, English Poet/Courtier/Soldier The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best - and therefore never scrutinize or question. –Stephen Jay Gould, 1941-2002, American Paleontologist and Writer of Popular Science Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. ~H. Keller