The survival of the fittest is the ageless law of nature, but the fittest are rarely the strong. The fittest are those endowed with the qualifications for adaptation, the ability to accept the inevitable and conform to the unavoidable, to harmonize with existing or changing conditions.–Dave E. Smalley

defined as: 1 a: to receive willingly b: to be able or designed to take or hold (something applied or added) 2: to give admittance or approval to
3 a: to endure without protest or reaction b: to regard as proper, normal, or inevitable c: to recognize as true : believe 4 a: to make a favorable response to b: to agree to undertake (a responsibility) 5: to assume an obligation to pay; also : to take in payment 6: to receive (a legislative report) officially… intransitive verb : to receive favorably something offered…

More to be revealed!! 

Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all of us love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour — unceasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family.–Henri Nouwen

defined as: 1 a: to give up resentment of or claim to requital for b: to grant relief from payment of … 2: to cease to feel resentment against (an offender) : pardon intransitive verb: to grant forgiveness… (more…)

Do not ask for fulfillment in all your life, but for patience to accept frustration. Do not ask for perfection in all you do, but for the wisdom not to repeat mistakes. Do not ask for more, before saying “Thank You” for what you have already received.–Brenda Short

defined as: 1: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint… 2: manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain… 3: not hasty or impetuous… 4: steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
5 a: able or willing to bear with… b: susceptible, admitting… (more…)

  As we become purer channels for God’s light, we develop an appetite for the sweetness that is possible in this world. A miracle worker is not geared toward fighting the world that is, but toward creating the world that could be.–Marianne Williamson

defined as: 1: an act or the power of foreseeing : prescience… 2: provident care : prudence …3: an act of looking forward; also : a view forward (more…)

Don’t waste your time trying to control the uncontrollable, or trying to solve the unsolvable, or think about what could have been. Instead, think about what you can control and solve the problem you can solve with the wisdom you have gained from both your victories and your defeats in the past.–David Mahoney

defined as:
1 : to find a solution, explanation, or answer for …2 : to pay (as a debt) in full…intransitive verb…: to solve something… (more…)

Everybody my friend, everybody lives for something better to come. That’s why we want to be considerate of every man.–Who knows what is in him? Why was he  born and what can he do?–Maxim Gorky (The Lower Depths)

defined as:
1 : marked by or given to careful consideration : circumspect 2 : thoughtful of the rights and feelings of others..  (more…)

The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. it’s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.–Leo Buscaglia

defined as:  sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it… (more…)

Real education should educate us out of self into something far finer–into a selflessness which links us with all humanity.–Nancy Astor

defined as:
1archaic : highborn… 2 a: characterized by a noble or forbearing spirit : magnanimous, kindly… b: liberal in giving : openhanded…  (more…)

Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. Make all your friends feel there is something in them. Look at the sunny side of everything. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give everyone a smile. Spend so much time improving yourself that you have no time left to criticize others. Bee too big for worry and too noble for anger.–Christian D. Larsen (Creed for Optimists)

defined as:
1 : a doctrine that this world is the best possible world… 2 : an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome… (more…)

You cannot speak that which you do not know. You cannot share that which you do not feel. You cannot translate that which you do not have. And you cannot give that which you do not possess. To give it and to share it, and for it to be effective, you first need to have it. Good communication starts with good preparation.–Jim Rohn (Jim Rohn’s Weekly E-zine 10/13/03)

defined as:
1: an act or instance of transmitting…2 a: information communicated b: a verbal or written message…3 a: a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior ; also : exchange of information b: personal rapport 4 plural a: a system (as of telephones) for communicating b: a system of routes for moving troops, supplies, and vehicles c: personnel engaged in communicating 5 plural but sing or plural in constr a: a technique for expressing ideas effectively (as in speech) b: the technology of the transmission of information (as by print or telecommunication…   (more…)

If one could only learn to appreciate the little things…
A song that takes you away, for there are those who cannot hear. The beauty of a sunset, for there are those who cannot see. The warmth and safety of your home, for there are those who are homeless. Time spent with good friends for there are those who are lonely. A walk along the beach for there are those who cannot walk. The little things are what life is all about. Search your soul and learn to appreciate.–Shadi Souferian

defined as:  1 : conscious of benefit received… 2 : expressive of thanks… 3 : well pleased : glad…

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Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make yourself a happier and more productive person.–Dr. David M. Burns

defined as:
1obsolete : outcome, result…2 a: degree or measure of succeeding b: favorable or desired outcome;… also : the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence…3: one that succeeds…

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Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible–the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.–Virginia Satir

defined as:
1 a: courteous behavior b: a courteous act or expression…2 a: general allowance despite facts : indulgence b: consideration, cooperation, and generosity in providing something (as a gift or privilege);… also : agency, means… -used chiefly in the phrases through the courtesy of… or by courtesy of… or sometimes simply courtesy of…

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 Empowerment gives birth to responsibility; this responsibility is to serve. We need to serve where we find ourselves; wherever we are. You don’t need to identify with service, or speak of it. Better just to guide, love and care. Silence is a great aid in service; the more you are able to listen, the greater help you can be–energy escapes when you talk. And when you have achieved serenity, you will benefit others by your presence. When your inner noise is silenced, you will have a quick, clear perspective on all human situations; you will be able to reach out effectively in generosity and compassion.–Andrew DaPassano

Defined as:…
1 a: the occupation or function of serving b: employment as a servant… 2 a: the work performed by one that serves… b: help, use, benefit… c: contribution to the welfare of others… d: disposal for use… 3 a: a form followed in worship or in a religious ceremony b: a meeting for worship -often used in plural… 4: the act of serving: as a: a helpful act b: useful labor that does not produce a tangible commodity -usually used in plural c: serve… 5: a set of articles for a particular use… 6: a. an administrative division (as of a government or business) b: one of a nation’s military forces (as the army or navy)… 7: a facility supplying some public demand b: a facility providing maintenance and repair… 8: the materials (as spun yarn, small lines, or canvas) used for serving a rope… 9: the act of bringing a legal writ, process, or summons to notice as prescribed by law… 10: the act of a male animal copulating with a female animal… 11: a branch of a hospital medical staff devoted to a particular specialty…

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My good friend Mark L., a stand up recovery comedian, talks a lot about how we think,…”first thought wrong”. He makes a clear distinction of a normal person’s thinking , and the rest of us. It is not that normal people are better, it just means “most”. Most people don’t think like us that are recovering from addiction. How I identify with others a lot of times, is how I have similar thoughts of life. What follows is a great example of how we think. Can anyone identify?

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This is where you can share the lives of friends and loved ones who have passed. http://www.my.calendars.net/loving_memory

Let us not Forget!!!

I know that there are many folks who keep their individual memories of children, parents, family, friends, business associates, hero’s and idols who have passed from this earth. Each has a story of how that person affected and inspired their life. I personally have known many in my years who have passed from active  addiction. But I have also known many who have passed on clean. This memorial here is not specific to those who may or may not have been connected to recovery. Many have passed because of someone else’s poor choices in life. It is important to me to leave this open to anyone who has a story to tell. I want to honor their stories of life and death with my own commitment to staying clean. I hope you share with us someone who was special in your life. If you have a memorial page you want to share, please give me the URL and I will place it in the calendar. Thank You…..

Love and Respect, Bruce M.

Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend…when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present–love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure–the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth.–Sarah Ban Breathnach

defined as:…1: of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit : incorporeal…
2 a: of or relating to sacred matters b: ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal…
3: concerned with religious values…4: related or joined in spirit…5 a: of or relating to supernatural beings or phenomena… b: of, relating to, or involving spiritualism : spiritualistic

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Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan, ‘press on’ has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race.–Calvin Coolidge

defined as:
the action or condition or an instance of persevering : steadfastness…

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