"True love is like ghosts; which everyone talks about and few have seen"

--La Rochefoucauld

"A friend is somebody you want to be around when you feel like being by yourself"

--Barbara Burrow

"Friendship with oneself is all-important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world."

--Eleanor Roosevelt

"Trust in yourself, your perceptions are often more accurate than you are willing to believe."

--Claudia Black

"We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same."

--Anne Frank

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you."

--Dale Carnegie

"Truth is like the sun, you can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away."

--Elvis Presley

"To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act."

--Anatole France

"It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone."

--Unknown

"You see things; and you say, 'why?' but I dream things that never were; and I say, "why not?""

--George Bernard Shaw

"In order for people to be happy, sometimes they have to take risks. It's true these risks can put them in danger of being hurt."

--Meg Cabot

"Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop"

--Henry Louis Mencken

"If you don't risk anything you risk even more."

--Erica Jong

"The mighty oak was once a little nut that stood its ground."

--Unknown

"Laughing is the sensation of feeling good all over and showing it principally in one spot."

--Josh Billlings

"You can't stay mad at somebody who makes you laugh."

--Jay Leno

"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood."

--Marie Curie

"Take chances. Tell the truth. Date someone totally wrong for you. Say no. Spend all your cash. Fall in love. Get to know someone random. Be random. Say I love you. Sing out loud. Laugh at stupid jokes. Cry. Apologize. Tell someone how much they mean to you. Tell a jerk what you think. Laugh til your stomach hurts and your eyes water. Live life. and most of all...have no regrets"

"Who needs a man? If you want someone who'll make a total fool of himself because he's so glad to see you, someone who'll be content just to snuggle up and keep you warm and who you can kick out if he slobbers and snores, someone who doesn't care how good or bad you look and loves you unconditionally all the time, get a DOG"

"God created men first, cause you always make a rough draft before a masterpiece"

"A true friend is not the one bailing you out of jail. They're the one sitting next to you saying, man, that was cool"

"You may forget the friends that you laughed with but you will never forget the friends that you cried with"

"No guy is worth your tears, and the only one who is will never make you cry!"

"Don't worry about your reputation, that's just what shallow people think of you. Worry about your personality, that's why your friends love you."

"Mental anxiety, Mental breakdowns, Menstrual cramps, Menopause...Did you ever notice how all our problems begin with MEN?!"

"Anyone can make you smile and anyone can make you cry but it takes someone special to make you smile when you already have tears in your eyes!"

"Wanna join the spelling club??..Bullshit B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T...Homework H-O-M-E-W-O-R-K!!! oh, look, they have the same number of letters!!!"

"Keep smiling...it makes people wonder what you're up to"

"If you don't take a risk and do it, you will live the rest of your life wondering..'WHAT IF?"

"A friend drops their plans when you're in trouble, shares joy in your accomplishments, feels sad when you're in pain. A friend encourages your dreams and offers advice---but when you don't follow it, they still respect and love you."

--Doris W. Helmering

"Many people will walk in and out of your life. But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart."

--Eleanor Roosevelt

"Friends are together when they are separated, they are rich when they are poor, strong when they are weak, and a thing even harder to explain---they live on after they have died, so great is the honor that follows them, so vivid the memory, so poignant the sorrow."

--Cicero

"A friend is one who knows all about you and likes you anyway."

--Christi Mary Warner

"Friends move away---so far that you may never meet again. And yet they are a part of you forever."

--Pam Brown

"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down."

--Oprah Winfrey

"Happiness isn't the easiest thing to find, but one place you're guaranteed to find it is in a friend’s smile.”

--Allison Poler

"There are no good-byes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart."

--Mahatma Gandhi

"Don't trust words or logic; instead, trust your dreams."

--Rick Levine

"To someone you care, it's easy to show anger when you're mad at them, even easier to laugh when you're having fun, but telling someone how your heart really feels can be the hardest thing to do"

"You make me laugh when I’m with you,

You make me cry when I’m not,

I get jealous when you're with someone else

But I don’t know what you want.

Some days you act like you really care

And other days you don’t seem to notice that I’m there.

I wish we could talk about everything,

the good and the bad,

Because I hate finding things out from everybody else.

You've got me thinking about you all the time,

You're always on my mind,

And I just want to know how you feel

because when I’m with you the whole world becomes fuzzy

And everything else just seems to disappear."

“True love brings up everything—you’re allowing a mirror to be held up to you daily.”

--Jennifer Aniston

“To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven.”

--Karen Sunde

“To be brave is to love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. To just give. That takes courage, because we don’t want to fall on our faces or leave ourselves open to hurt.”

--Madonna

“Love isn’t a decision. It’s a feeling. If we could decide who we loved, it would be much simpler, but much less magical.”

--Trey Parker and Matt Stone

“The important thing was to love rather than to be loved.”

--W. Somerset Maugham

“When you love, you won’t have to ask yourself if you love, you will feel it in the deepest pits of your heart.”

--David Chinn Jr.

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”

--Mother Teresa

“Love is like riding a bike. You might get stuck and hit a few bumps, or fall off, and get scraped up a bit. But stay strong, get up, and try again. Sooner or later you’ll find the right path that will take you on forever.”

Again

“If when you wake up in the morning,

And the hurting is so great,

You don’t want to get out of bed

And face a world of hate.

If everything in life goes wrong

And nothing you do seems right,

You just try a little harder

And soon you’ll see the light.

For every person who has put you down

And filled your life with pain,

You must strive to achieve greatness

And show them you can win.

For every disappointment,

For the times you are let down,

There will be a better moment

And your life will turn around.

Because everyone feels heartache

And everyone feels pain,

But only those who have true courage

Can get up and try again.”

--Teal Henderson

“Learn from the mistakes of others---you can never live long enough to make them all yourself.”

--John Luther

"When written in Chinese, the word "crisis" is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity."

--John F. Kennedy

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

--Martin Luther King, Jr.

Grandma's Words of Wisdom

"The little girl's grandma lies dying in bed,

She stands nearby listening to what is said.

Her eyes hold tears she tries hard not to show,

Her grandma smiles, for there isn't much she doesn't know.

"Sweetheart, don't you worry at all about me,

Forever you will hold me in your memory.

I have lived to a rather ripe, old age,

Compare it to a storybook, each day has a new page.

"You will end up facing challenges, don't give up hope,

Just use your heart to make decisions, and you will always cope.

One must be strong to live with successes and strife,

I know this now from my experiences in life.

"You'll have many choices you'll have to make,

And yes, dear, many times your heart will break.

Despite the pain and tears, your heart will always heal,

Never give into temptation, don't let yourself steal.

"Listen to my words, my dear child, they are true,

These are the things when I was your age I wish I knew."

With a slight smile and a squeeze of her hand,

Grandma hoped she helped the little girl to understand.

She kissed her grandma gently as she slowly closed her eyes,

And with Grandma's wisdom in her heart, she said her last good-bye."

--Heather Deederly

When Tomorrow Starts Without Me

"When tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not there to see;

If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me;

I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today,

While thinking of the many things we didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me, as much as I love you,

And each time you think of me, I know you'll miss me, too;

But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,

That an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready in heaven far above,

And that I'd have to leave behind all those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away, a tear fell from my eye,

For all my life, I'd always thought I didn't want to die.

I had so much to live for and so much yet to do,

It seemed almost impossible that I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays, the good ones and the bad,

I thought of all the love we shared and all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday, I thought, just for a while,

I'd say good-bye and kiss you and maybe see your smile.

But then I fully realized that this could never be,

For emptiness and memories would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things that I'd miss tomorow,

I thought of you, and when I did, my heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven's gates , I felt so much at home.

When God looked down and smiled at me, from His great golden throne,

He said, "This is eternity and all I've promised you,

Today for life on Earth is past but here it starts anew.

I promise no tomorrow, but today will always last,

And since each day's the same day, there's no longing for the past.

But you have been so faithful, so trusting and so true,

Though there were times you did some things you knew you shouldn't do.

But you have been forgiven and now at last you're free.

So won't you take my hand and share my life with me?"

So when tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart,

For every time you think of me, I'm right here in your heart."

--David M. Romano

You are my lucky star

In life you’ve helped me get really far

You were always there when I needed you

And I hope I was always there for you too

You are my .lucky star

God sent you here to me from afar

You had a way of making me happy when I was sad

And if I did something wrong you wouldn’t be mad

You are my lucky star

My best friend is also what you are

You’ve helped me realize what I’m living for

But now your gone and each day I’m missing you more

“Good friends are like angels, you don’t have to see them to know they are there..”

"A true friend is someone that reaches for your hand and touches your heart."

"Being in love is like peeing your pants; everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth."

You Tell Me

"What does it feel like to be in love?

Does it soothe--

like a soft mist dusting your neck,

cooling your shoulders,

relaxing your tensions?

Does it seize--

like an unrelenting grasp over your being,

your smiles and your tears,

your common sense and your emotions?

Does it excite--

starting at your toes and rising to your chest,

then your throat where it holds its breath,

until it can't help but scream?

Does it confuse--

Am I supposed to feel this way?

Does he feel this way? Why does he lead me on?

What is it in those eyes that makes me so flustered?

You tell me.

Does every smile, every glance, every chance of meeting feel like a promise to love you back?

Not because that's what you really think,

but because it's what you need to think

to keep the hope of a fairy-tale romance from fading?

Does every conversation

linger for days?

Every frame

clear but unreal

in every daydreamy rerun?

You tell me.

Does he consume your mind

day to long-awaited day

until everything has lost its original luster

when he isn't around

to charm the scene?

Does every playful poke

make you float above cloud nine

like you're rising but staying still?

Does every friendly hug

force the corners of your mouth up into a stupid grin?

Why do my knees become uselessly weak

with every meaningless touch--

or even when he walks within twenty feet

of my 'personal space'?

You tell me.

Does it always feel like more than just a crush

or silly infatuation

when he talks to you

just like you would imagine a soul mate would

and laughs at your jokes?

"If it feels like love isn't it love?"

You tell me.

Because what do I know about it?

I'm only a kid, right?

Heck, I've only been in love once or twice."

--Kim Llerena

"One makes mistakes; that is life. But it is never a mistake to have loved"

--Romain Rolland

"At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet."

--Plato

 Good-Bye

"And so it comes just as it is

a day no longer here

and through my trembling fingertips

the memories of the year,

I wave farewell to all our dreams,

I will forget you never.

I wonder if our crazy times

will stay with you forever.

But as I cry in pain of losing

My dear and such good friend

I will not close the book and say,

"Farewell, this is the end."

For good-byes create swift hellos

And days from now you'll see,

That though it hurts to say good-bye,

Your friend I'll always be."

--Becca Woolf

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched...but are felt in the heart."

--Helen Keller

Adios

"Why can't you see what it's doing to you?

And why can't you see that it's killing me, too

What happened to the sweet boy I met?

You told me you loved me, or did you forget?

I thought that I knew you, I thought you were right

But you changed my opinion in one single night

The things that you said, they ripped me apart

And now I am left with this hole in my heart

I know now that You and I will never be WE again

I played your game and misery is the prize I win

I thought the pain of losing you would be quite enough

But now I hear you're messing with all kinds of bad stuff

You think getting high will make everything right

But all that you're doing is ruining your life

I watch all you had just slip down the drain

I know I can't help you which drives me insane

I miss all the nights we spent on the phone

The ringing has stopped, I sit here alone

Every day, every night I hope to hear your voice

But I've got to accept that you've made your choice

I hope you know that I'll always care

But next time you need me, I may not be there

You just couldn't love me the way that I was

So now I'm gonna find someone who does"

--Langley Wetzel

"When one door closes, another opens but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."

--Alexander Graham Bell

"Life shrinks or expands according to one's courage."

--Anais Nin

 Who Needs a Boyfriend Anyway?

So who needs a boyfriend anyway?

That's the conclusion I came to today.

It's not so bad being just one

Actually, it can be quite fun.

Hanging out at the mall all day,

Appreciating your friends in a new special way.

Never having to worry about him,

Whether he be Aaron, Chris, Michael or Jim.

Which movie to rent on Saturday night

Is no longer an issue that ends in a fight.

Going where you want, seeing who you please

Even though you miss having someone to tease.

Three-hour phone calls about nothing at all

Become three-hour shopping trips with

Mom at the mall.

You see more of your little sister now, too,

Being surprised at how much she grew.

But please, I ask, don't shed a tear.

I know that your heart must be filled with fear.

Being alone can be rough at first

But it only gets better, it doesn't get worse.

Soon enough you'll love once more

But for now, it's yourself you should adore.

Look at every day with a new brighter light

And I'm sure, like me, in time you'll be all right."

--Shelby Woodard

Have You Ever

"Have you ever lived my life?

Spent one minute in my shoes?

If you haven't then tell me why

You judge me as you do.

Have you ever woken up in the morning

Wondering if this was your last day on Earth?

Have you ever left your house

Unsure if you'd return?

Have you ever seen your friend get shot

Outside his favorite store?

Have you ever seen a friend die

From drugs he'd never used before?

Have you ever seen your mom get beat up

By your stepdad messed up on booze?

Have you ever had an unwanted pregnancy

Forcing you to choose?

Have you ever sat beneath the stars

Hoping God will hear?

Have you ever seen your friend drive away

After way too many beers?

Have you ever had a friend

Experiment with weed?

Have you ever covered up guilt

By doing a good deed?

Have you ever considered suicide

As the only way?

Have you ever tried to hide yourself

Behind the things you say?

Have you ever wanted to protect

Your friends and everyone in sight?

Have you ever felt such pain

That you cried yourself to sleep at night?

Have you ever lived my life,

Spent one minute in my shoes?

If you haven't, then tell me why

You judge me as you do."

--Tiffany Blevins

Another Statistic

"I don't want to be another statistic

Some suicidal teen

Who makes a choice to kill herself

When the world just seems too mean.

She can't go on with life

Or so to her it seems

Reality has fallen short

And so have her many dreams.

I don't want to be another statistic

Some pregnant little girl

Who met this great guy

And then gave sex a whirl.

She was only fifteen

But it felt so right

She thought they'd be together

For more than just a night.

I don't want to be another statistic

Some kid strung out on crack

Who started at a party

And now he can't turn back.

First cigarettes and alcohol

Now meth, crack and cocaine

He's been smoking it so long

That now he's gone insane.

I don't want to be another statistic

Some girl left in the rain

Who was walking home from school

Then raped and left in pain.

She can't tell her parents

And it hurts to tell her friends

She doesn't know what she'll do

To make this nightmare end.

I don't want to be another statistic

Some kid out of school

Who dropped out really early

And was acting like a fool.

He thought that it was boring

He thought that it was dumb

He doesn't have and education

But lives on the streets like a bum.

I don't want to be another statistic

Some stereotypical teen

I'm gonna make a difference

I'll finish with my dream.

I won't end up pregnant

On drugs or even dead

I won't drop out of school

Because I'll use my head.

I don't want to be another statistic

To fit into some mold

Of what society thinks of kids today

Because it's getting kind of old.

Not all of us are bad

In fact most of us are good

When will the world see us

And give us credit like they should?"

--Amanda Parmenter

"Consult not your fears, but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed at, but with what it is still possible for you to do."

--Pope John XXIII

"Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself."

--George Bernard Shaw

Seize the Day

"Just a moment in this lifetime,

Just a tragedy ahead.

Not knowing where each turn will lead,

Within seconds we might be dead.

Live each day to the fullest,

Do no stop to wonder why.

Do everything your heart desires,

In dreams, reach for the sky.

Surprises at every stop sign,

With its share of wrong ways and dead-ends.

Statistics don't help you with the future,

They only tell you where you've been.

With so many people among us,

There are no certainties.

And all it takes is just one person,

To reroute history.

Don't waste one single moment,

How very precious that they are.

What seems a long way off,

Is really not that far."

--Teal Henderson

I Wonder as I Wander

I wonder as I wander

Out under the sky

Why do people I care about

Always have to die?

Are you happy where you are,

Wherever that may be?

I wonder as I wander,

Do you still think of me?

Is it nice up there in heaven?

For I know you made it there.

Are the clouds made out of marshmallows?

Do you know that I still care?

I look up at the winter sky,

And shed a single tear.

I think of all the days gone by,

I'll always hold you dear.

I wonder as I wander

Out under the sky

Why do people I care about

Always have to die?"

--Hilary Begleiter

Somewhere in the Middle

A journey lies ahead

for all teenagers today.

A journey to adulthood,

our youth to kiss away.

But as we go we find ourselves

at a truly awkward stage.

We're partial, unripe, sketchy and crude

at this tender age.

We're old enough to make a choice

yet still young in many ways.

Too young to pack our bags and go,

too old to want to stay.

Young enough for fun and games,

too old for carefree lives.

Young enough for hopes and dreams,

yet for reality we strive.

Old enough for heartfelt pain,

too young to find the cure.

Too old for childish ways of past,

too young to be mature.

Old enough to fall in love

and give our hearts away.

But, still too young to understand

just why we feel this way.

We're trusted, loyal, proud and true

yet scolded, sneered and scorned.

Between the role of adult and child,

we are somewhere torn.

Like an uncompleted work of art,

we're awkward, unsure, half-baked.

But be patient please

for we're on our way

to becoming something great."

--Liza Ortego

"I know you're not perfect
and I don't expect you to be
but with all respect I must say
that I'm not very happy

I try to understand
but I'm just so confused
You blame everything on me
but it's your fault too

Seeing you just once a week
and hearing your voice maybe twice
is not enough for me
and makes me want to cry

I don't know how you're feeling
because you don't seem to care
Do you really want to be with me
or are you just using me
and being unfair?

You said we would try
to make everything better
but it just seems to get worse
every minute we're together

I wish I could change that
we would have lots of fun
never worrying about the future
or lying to everyone

As of right now
I don't think that will happen
I don't want to be apart
but whatever happens, happens

I'll tell you how I feel
and then maybe you will too
but I just want you to know
that I'll always love you."