“Today, I choose not to take my life for granted. I choose not to look upon the fact that I am healthy, have food in my refrigerator and have clean water to drink as givens. They are not givens for so many people in our world. The fact that I am safe and (relatively) sane are not givens. That I was born into a family who loves me and into a country not ravaged by war are not givens. It is impossible to name all of the circumstances in my life I’ve taken for granted. All of the basic needs I’ve had met, all of the friendships and job opportunities and financial blessings and the list, truly, goes on and on. The fact that I am breathing is a miracle, one I too rarely stop to appreciate. I’m stopping, right now, to be grateful for everything I am and everything I’ve been given. I’m stopping, right now, to be grateful for every pleasure and every pain that has contributed to the me who sits here and writes these words. I am thankful for my life. This moment is a blessing. Each breath a gift. That I’ve been able to take so much for granted is a gift, too. But it’s not how I want to live—not when gratitude is an option, now when wonder and awe are choices. I choose gratitude. I choose wonder. I choose awe. I choose everything that suggest I’m opening myself to the miraculous reality of simply being alive for one moment more.”

“Today, I choose not to take my life for granted. I choose not to look upon the fact that I am healthy, have food in my refrigerator and have clean water to drink as givens. They are not givens for so many people in our world. The fact that I am safe and (relatively) sane are not givens. That I was born into a family who loves me and into a country not ravaged by war are not givens. It is impossible to name all of the circumstances in my life I’ve taken for granted. All of the basic needs I’ve had met, all of the friendships and job opportunities and financial blessings and the list, truly, goes on and on. The fact that I am breathing is a miracle, one I too rarely stop to appreciate. I’m stopping, right now, to be grateful for everything I am and everything I’ve been given. I’m stopping, right now, to be grateful for every pleasure and every pain that has contributed to the me who sits here and writes these words. I am thankful for my life. This moment is a blessing. Each breath a gift. That I’ve been able to take so much for granted is a gift, too. But it’s not how I want to live—not when gratitude is an option, now when wonder and awe are choices. I choose gratitude. I choose wonder. I choose awe. I choose everything that suggest I’m opening myself to the miraculous reality of simply being alive for one moment more.”

“Let’s quit trying so hard to be some version of a normal we’ve never really been.”

“The fact that you don’t realize how wonderful you are only makes you more wonderful.”

“Let them judge you.Let them misunderstand you.Let them gossip about you.Their opinions aren’t your problem.You stay kind, committed to love, and free in your authenticity.No matter what they do or say,don’t you dare doubt your worthor the beauty of your truth.Just keep on shining like you do.”

“So much possibility lives within the beauty of your authenticity. Be real.”

“We can disagree with one another without being raging, judgmental, spiteful, self-righteous lunatics. Can’t we?”

“After so many years struggling to keep up with you, I finally realized we’re not even running the same race.”

“less apathy,more empathy.”

“In acceptance, I am grounded. In vulnerability, I am strong. In love, I am whole.”

“I won’t stop until I can look at myself in the mirror in love with the person I see.”

“I can’t apologize for who I am any more. Even better, I have no desire to.”