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The idea for this blog came to me recently
when I realized nearly every significant person in my life
has uttered at least one sentence that stuck with me
and comes back to me repeatedly.
Also, some comments from other people
who's identity is lost to the mists of time.
Strange how I can remember what they said to me,
but I can't remember who said it.
This is a list of the most frequent
'voices I hear' almost daily.
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(1) While growing up, my step-dad always told me ...
"Get a good education, it's the one thing
that can't be taken away from you."
(the graphic truth of this being driven home
to me after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina)
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(2) From my birth mom as I was leaving her nest...
"There will always be someone around to help you,
either people or angels."
(a great source of comfort when I feel all alone and afraid)
~~~~~~~
(3) From my paternal grandmother whenever we were sick ...
"Get up and stir around alittle bit,
it will help you feel better"
(this helps recovery from many ills go much faster)
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(4) My then-husband as he was making
a cup of instant coffee ...
"It only takes a tad,
just enough to make the coffee the color of tea"
(this one I hear with every cup of coffee I make
every morning)
~~~~~~~
(5) From my daughter when I told her
of a great job offer and
I asked her if I should take it ...
"Find something you like and stick with it"
(has helped me to keep-on-keeping-on,
even though the path I've chosen gets a bit bumpy)
~~~~~~~
(6) From an employer during my training ...
"It's better to ask dumb questions
than to make dumb mistakes"
(one of my favorites)
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(7) From the newspaper route superviser
who was training me on my new route,
how to throw newspapers from my car with my left hand ...
"You'd be surprised what you can learn to do
with your left hand"
(he was right, I learned how to toss those newspapers exactly where I wanted them to land.
I was so tickled by that,
over the years I've deliberately used my left hand
instead of my right just for the fun of it,
resulting in my becoming practically ambidexterous.
The usefulness of this came in 'handy' last year when my right hand/arm
became severely damaged in a freak farm accident)
~~~~~~~
(8) From I don't know who ...
" Just remember,
you own the car, not the road"
(a great patience-builder)
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(9) From a motorcycle rider who ran me down
to give me a piece of his mind
when I inadvertently, unknowingly,
almost ran over him ...
". . . there's a part of your car called a blind spot,
always look over your shoulder!"
(now, everytime I change lanes,
I hear his voice warning me about the blind spot,
I always look over my shoulder,
instead of relying on just my mirrors)
~~~~~~~
(10) From a lady riding with me one day
and I was getting impatient with the traffic...
"In the scheme of life, we are all here for a purpose,
so we all get our turns.
Just wait patiently, and you will get your turn.
If you miss your turn, it's ok,
you'll get another one soon"
(wow, how many wrecks has this comment saved me from, I'll never know.
It has given me much patience, not only in traffic
but in lots of life situations.
When we are merging into traffic
and waiting for a chance to 'make it' into the traffic,
we need to change our mindset from trying to 'make it' into 'waiting for our turn' which always comes.
So many people have died because they were in too big a hurry and pulled out in traffic too soon,
trying to 'make it' instead of 'waiting their turn')
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(11) From a church sign one day
just when I was feeling hopeless ...
"Don't let discouragement keep you from succeeding"
(keep on keeping on)
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(12) And from another church sign,
as I was heading to the hospital with a friend who was facing heart surgery,
I was rubbing my right knee absentmindedly
and praying for him, when we passed this sign . . .
"God answers knee mail"
(and He did! God answered my prayer
for my friend that day in the most wonderful way)
~~~~~~~
(13) From the movie Gia, starring Angelina Jolie ...
"This is life, not Heaven;
you don't have to be perfect"
(this is one of my all time faves and has helped me overcome perfectionistic tendencies,
low self-confidence, and to accept other peoples flaws)
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(14) And finally from myself,
something I learned from experience
and sometimes remind myself of ...
"Never ASSUME anything,
you'll always assume wrong!"
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