Unfortunately there can be no doubt that man is,

on the whole,

less good than he imagines himself or wants to be.

Everyone carries a shadow,

and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life,

the blacker and denser it is.

At all counts, it forms an unconscious snag, thwarting our most well-meant intentions.

Is suffering really necessary? Yes and no.

If you had not suffered as you have, there would be no depth to you as a human being, no humility, no compassion.

Suffering cracks open the shell of ego and then comes a point when it has served its purpose.

Suffering is necessary until you realize it is unnecessary.

The past has no power over the present moment.

A soulmate is an ongoing connection with another individual that the soul picks up again in various times and places over lifetimes.

We are attracted to another person at a soul level not because that person is our unique complement,

but because by being with that individual, we are somehow provided with an impetus to become whole ourselves.

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.

Be still and the earth will speak to you.

Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all.

When there's a big disappointment, we don't know if that's the end of the story.

It may just be the beginning of a great adventure.

Life is like that.

We don't know anything.

We call something bad; we call it good.

But really we just don't know.

This is my wish for you:

Comfort on difficult days,

smiles when sadness intrudes,

rainbows to follow the clouds,

laughter to kiss your lips,

sunsets to warm your heart,

hugs when spirits sag,

beauty for your eyes to see,

friendships to brighten your being,

faith so that you can believe,

confidence for when you doubt,

courage to know yourself,

patience to accept the truth,

love to complete your life.

Personal transformation isn't always comfortable.

Often it is even painful, but that's okay.

It is partly the pain of this internal voyage that changes you.

As you leave your mark on your work, it leaves its mark on your consciousness, and on your heart.

You leave some things behind, take some things with you, and hopefully share some things with others along the way, even if only stories.

This is the way... but only if you decide to make the journey.

You cannot cross the sea by merely standing on the shore and looking at it.

When a person can't find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure.

In love one expands, in fear one shrinks.

In fear one becomes closed, in love one opens.

In fear one doubts, in love one trusts.