~ S T E P S ~

  A friend's an attitude within you A talk you can always continue A feeling you have known awhile, A thought that sparks an inner smile. A friend's a person you hold dear, Who ventures far, yet stays quite near, Whose presence sets the spirit free, Who brings out candour and honesty. A friend shares all your joys and tears, Feels triumph with you, knows your fears, Accepts your strengths and weaknesses too, Won't let small things dull friendship's hue. A friend will walk life's miles with you, And nourish values sound and true, Though paths may sometimes drift apart, True friendship never leaves the heart. Author - Unknown

  To Do List... *  Listen to your favourite music every day. * Always have flowers on the table. * On the weekends, take off your watch and forget about the time. * Take a nap. * Try - even if you've never done so before. * Surprise a loved-one or friend with an unexpected gift. * Put an inspirational quote somewhere where you can see it everyday. * Never miss an opportunity to have fun. * Never miss a parade. * Buy a box of crayons and colour some pictures with a child. * Read a child a story. * Give people plenty of well-deserved compliments. * Try to save a 20p every day. * You'll be surprised about how much you'll save within a short time. * Spend it on a rainy day. * Keep a journal where you can explore your thoughts and feelings. * Give someone special a kiss and hug. * Call three friends and plan to get together with them. * Get out the camera and take some silly photos of yourself and a friend. * Don't be afraid to dress up. * Go outside and enjoy the beauty of ...

Love Yourself Recognise your gifts and unique talents and put them to good use. Love Yourself Dream of what you can become, but accept and value the person you are now. Love Yourself Acknowledge your flaws, but don't underestimate yourself because of them... Love Yourself Reach for the impossible and do the best job you can do... Love Yourself Celebrate because you're special, beautiful, and unique. Love Yourself Treat yourself well. Take good care of you. Love Yourself Believe you deserve the best, that you deserve to be loved. Love Yourself and others will love you for love begets love.... Author ~unknown

 The Following is called 'The Invitation' and I read on the internet a long time ago, way back in the 1990's - I loved reading it then and still love reading it now. It may or may not still be circulating somewhere out there in time and space, I do not know... but I have chosen to share it here as it has travelled through time and space with me.... *** The Invitation It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your hearts longing. It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive. It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals, or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving t...

  Once upon a time, a long time from now, there was a very old grey monkey who lived in a tree in the middle of his village. This monkey was the keeper of a beautiful box, polished wood encrusted with inlaid diamonds and images of the sun and the ocean. Only this old monkey knew what was in the box, and that was okay because it was a time of peace in the monkey villages. Each day, this old monkey would teach to any of the monkey's who wanted to learn. Little jumpy young monkeys, older monkeys, and even monkeys from neighbouring villages would come and munch on berries and bananas in the shade of the old monkey's tree. They would listen to the old monkey tell his stories, as he cradled the box in his lap. "Once upon a time, a long time from now, there was a great monkey revolution," the old monkey would tell them. "A time when there was no longer this monkey or that monkey, no me," and he would point to himself, "no you" and he would point and tickl...