Happy New Year!

Good grief, you would think I could come up with a catchier title to my first post of the new year than that. I noticed a LOT of posts in my google reader today. The holidays are over, the day of reckoning has come and everyone is reflecting over the past year and looking forward to the new year. I, too, had a post about this past year. Still, I struggle with posting too much yet I wonder if it might be time to start telling the story. Maybe the post will come, soon.

Suffice it to say that January 1, 2008 finds us all in a better place than January 1, 2007. We survived, learned, we healed, we conquered.

Now we look forward; we challenge ourselves to continue growing.

As this new year dances into existence, I am reflecting on some principle advice from Maya Angelou. You might read many quotes from her on my blog this year as I plan on reading several of her books this year. Anyway, I’ll let Maya usher us out of today:

I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life. I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.” I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you second chance. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Related Tags: Maya Angelou

~ by Cynthia on January 2, 2008.