There is nothing I have to do

"There is nothing I have to do, nowhere I have to go, and no way I have to be except exactly the way I am being right now. My happiness is knowing this, my joy is expressing it, my bliss is experiencing it." - NDW

But I will not give up.

I have been cheated on, lied to, stabbed in the back, and abused—verbally, mentally, and emotionally… but I will not give up.
I have been drained, broken, torn apart, and severely wounded… but I will not give up.
I have been used, neglected, taken for granted, mocked, and laughed at… but I will not give up.
I have been drained, I have been broken, my heart has suffered many cuts as well as devastating blows, and I have experienced many headaches and heartaches… but I will not give up.
I have given time to confusion, I have been left disappointed, and there was the one occasion wherein I all but lost my mind… but I will not give up.
I have made my mistakes and I have slept in the hard beds made by them, I have found comfort in a place of sorrow, and I have covered myself in the blankets of fear… but I will not give up.
My knees are stained by scars as I have fallen to my knees several times, I have prayed until I had no more words to offer to God, I have soaked pillows with tears, I have cried out from the depths of my soul, and I have ached from every part of my being. Yet still, I will not give up.
I will never give up. Because I know that the breath I use to utter the words “I quit” will come right before the breath I take while throwing my arms in the air with clinched fists to claim victory.
I have held my heart out, and too became a live witness to its bludgeoning on multiple occasions. Yet, I will never give up on love, because in the end it’s always those that never give up, that win. And when I win, I will use everything I have been through as the fuel to love just that much harder.
Will you?

JLFord

Let things be less than perfect

"Let things be less than perfect.

Smile every chance you get; not because life has been easy,

 perfect, or exactly as you had anticipated,

 but because you choose to be happy and grateful

 for all the good things you do have,

 and all the problems I know you don’t have.

  You must accept the fact that life is not perfect,

 that people are not perfect,

 and that you are not perfect.

  And that’s okay,

 because the real world doesn't reward perfection.

  It rewards people who get GOOD things done.

  And the only way to get GOOD things done

 is to be imperfect 99% of the time."

You can choose

"You can choose to be a person

 who has resulted simply from what has happened,

 or from what you have chosen to be

 and do about what has happened."

CwG

I started my life with a single absolute

“I started my life with a single absolute:

 that the world was mine to shape

 in the image of my highest values

 and never to be given up to a lesser standard,

 no matter how long or hard the struggle.”

You must learn

"You must learn to be gentle with yourself.
                         And stop judging yourself."

Smile a lot.

"Smile a lot.
          It will cure
                 whatever ails you."