Some Favorite Quotes

One of my favorite authors is Richard Paul Evans. In every book that he writes, he includes a diary of the main characters. There is a diary entry and/or quote at the beginning of every chapter. They are always so enlightening and very touching. Here are a few that I found to be especially pertinent for the current path in life that I am on right now.


I have wondered if I am trying to force a life. While the life I lead may not match the
picture in my head, perhaps the one offered me is just as full of joy, its pigments just as
bright, just not what I expected.
THE LOCKET


He could run. He knew how to run. . .Or he could choose life. . .That the measure of a person’s heart, the barometer of good or evil, was nothing more than the extent of their willingness to
choose life over death. That the path of God was, simply, the path of life, abundant and
eternal. And this is where he failed, for to choose life is to choose sorrow as well as joy,
pain as well as pleasure. . .
THE LOOKING GLASS


“I believe it a great irony that I learned of life
from one dying, and of love from one so lonely.”
THE LOCKET



Love is never convenient—and rarely painless.
THE SUNFLOWER



It has been a mistake living my life in the past.
One cannot ride a horse backwards and still hold its reins.
THE LETTER



There are those whose primary ambition in life is to leave their names chiseled on
some small corner of this globe. But this is folly. The greatest tragedy is not to die unknown
by strangers, but unloved by our companions.
THE LOCKET - ESTHER HUISH’S DIARY



Forgiveness does not require us to close our eyes but rather to truly open them.
THE GIFT



“That which we spend our lives hoping for is often no more than another chance to
do what we should have done to begin with.”
THE LOCKET - ESTHER HUISH’S DIARY



“There are times that I have been tempted to protect my heart from further disappointment
with cynicism...But it would be like poisoning oneself to avoid being
murdered.”
THE LOCKET - ESTHER HUISH’S DIARY



The most important story we will ever write in life is our own—
not with ink, but with our daily choices.
THE GIFT

Pieces of Me

Loyal; Dependable; Competitive; Generous; Kind; Sense of Humor; Giving; Friendly; Sensitive; Movie Lover; Writer; Party Planner; Hostess; Sentimental; Remembers Birthdays and Anniversaries; Loves Family; Good Friend; Babysitter; Goody-Goody; Has Never Tried Smoking; Smart; Pretty; Picky Eater; Dresses Well; Ambitious; Persistent; Good Memory; Listens Well; Independent; Caregiver to Baxter; Good Manager; Romantic; Thrill-taker; Planner; Great with jigsaw puzzles; Great card/game player; Great Credit Score; Fair decorator; Organized; Clean; Self-Reliant; Degree-holder; Good with Kids; Good with Elderly; Sympathetic; Sarcastic; Christian; Frugal; Fun; Charming; Jealous Tendencies; Gives 150%; Outgoing; Selfish at Times; Selfless at Other Times; Enthusiastic; Cheerleader at Work; Naive with Politics and History; Good at Math and English; Loves Music; Good Singer; Cries at Sad Movies; Options in Life; Computer Knowledge is Fair; Insecure; Creative; Unique


These are just a few pieces of me. For me, it's hard to really sit down and decide what it is that I like about myself without focusing more on the things I don't like. I tried very hard to tip the scale to the positive. At 27, I am finally realizing that it is ok to be me, and I am a better person for embracing those qualities.

Something by Me and Something by Them

Lies pouring out of me
I convinced everyone, even myself
Covered by a jeweled veil for all the wrong reasons
Why wasn’t there a single right reason present?

Don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t party
Follow the rules and you’ll be perfect
Never mind the rules were meant to be broken
How else do we learn?

Six feet under they were buried
My heart’s true feelings were silenced
Pleasing everyone else comes so naturally
When did my own self stop mattering?

Planning a bright future out of dark clouds
While smiling through the hurt
Tears of pain flow down my cheeks
I’ve known all along what I should do

An immaculate wedding was thrown

While a marriage ceased to exist
Roommates coming and going

Enjoying their time apart far more than the alternative

They both deserve better than a constant battle
They both deserve hearts filled with love to give and receive
They both deserve to look forward to the rest of their lives
They both deserve a new beginning

Cath. . .

by "Death Cab for Cutie"

Cath. . .

She stands with a well intentioned man

But she can't relax with his hand on the small of her back

As the flashbulbs burst she holds a smile

Like someone would hold a crying child

Soon everybody will ask what became of you

'Cause your heart was dying fast

And you didn't know what to do

Cath. . .

It seemed that you lived in someone else's dream

In a hand-me-down wedding dress

With the things that could have been, are repressed

But you said your vows and closed the door

On so many men who would have loved you more

Soon everybody will ask what became of you

'Cause your heart was dying fast

And you didn't know what to do

The whispers that it won't last roll up and down the pews

And if their hearts were dying that fast

They would have done the same as you

And I would've done the same as you

It Starts With Goodbye

The long walkway; the secured entrance. “Where’s the clerk . . .of . . .the. . .district court?” I could barely get the words out. I just knew the officer could see right through me and was judging me for what I was about to do. Even if you’re 100% positive you are making the right decision, it doesn’t make this day any easier.

An elderly woman, a kind woman, tells me I still have some forms to fill out and there are things that still need to be notarized. She assumed I was completely prepared for this. Obviously, she assumed wrong. I sit down at a small classroom-like desk, to look up and find myself staring at the Marriage License window. My hands are shaking as I fill out the Civil Information Form. Laresa Julieanne White vs. Christopher Aaron White. Plaintiff vs Respondent.

I give the forms back to the woman and because everything on the page looked foreign to me, she patiently explained the next steps I had to take in order for this to be finalized.

Step 2: Notify Respondent of your Petition for Divorce.