I get a lot of emails from friends and family that are spiritual and/or inspiring. I really like getting them because sometimes they come at the most needed times. And, also because I love quotes or anything that gives me a positive perspective on life. I especially love them because they show me that I am loved. I always forward these emails back to my friends and family to show my love and appreciation for having them in my life. One Buddhist quote I really like is "Love and compassion are not a luxury, they are a necessity." This is so true. I read once that a baby that has never been touched will die. I can't imagine having never been touched or loved by someone. Although I have been through a lot of heartache in my life, as many of us have, I was still loved, no matter if it was for a month, a year or many years. "It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have been loved at all". I am grateful for what I've had and what I have now, for who has been in my life and who is in my life now. Everyone crosses your path for a reason. Good or bad, it was for a reason. You are meant to learn something from everyone you meet, from every experience you have. What you take from that experience, or person, is your choice. But know that even from something bad, something good can come from it. It's all according to how you look at it. From the worst of experiences I've had, I have learned and grown. I admit it took me some time to realize HOW to see the good, but I met someone in my past that was able to open my eyes. Once my eyes were open, my whole life changed. Strangely enough, it was an extremely difficult experience to go through. It's hard at times to look in the mirror and admit to what is looking back at you. But if you truly want to change your life, you have to be willing to change and to admit to things you may not like. Acceptance is the biggest step. Accept what you cannot change, and change what you have the ability to change. I didn't like the way I saw life. I wanted to change that and I did. I listened to what others had to say. I read a lot of books. It took me many years to actually say that I loved myself. And through that I realized that you cannot love someone truly and wholeheartedly, unless you love yourself first. Life has so much to teach us. All we need to do is stop, look at the world from within, and listen to what it's telling us. My heart goes out to those whose eyes have not been opened yet. Especially because I was that person for so long and never realized what I was missing. I hope that, through my life's journey, I can open the eyes of others and help them to see what life truly has to offer. Peace, love, hope and happiness. It's ALWAYS right in front of you. Sometimes you have to look hard, but it's there. Remember that the sun is always shining...even behind the clouds. For those of you who are in my life now, know that I am grateful that you are. For every phone call, every text, every email, every hug, every smile, for every laugh or even tear.....I am grateful. Thank you for being you and thank you for being a part of me. =)