Begin Again

Every day is a fresh beginning
Every morn is the world made new
You who are weary of sorrow and sinning
Here is a beautiful hope for you --
A hope for me and a hope for you.

Every day is a fresh beginning
Listen, my soul, to the glad refrain
And, spite of old sorrow and older sinning
And puzzles forecasted and possible pain
Take heart with the day, and begin again.

by Susan Coolidge

Hope is the Thing with Feathers

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.

And sweetest in the gale is heard
And sore must be the storm
That could sbash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land
And the strangest sea
Yet, never, in extremity
It asked a crumb of me.

by Emily Dickinson

Be Grateful for the Little Things

Be grateful for the little things,
The common pleasures each day brings
The glory of the springtime flowers
The beauty of the morning hours
The warmth of nature's bright array
The quiet times that ends each day

Yes, be grateful for the little things
And the pleasure each one brings
And in these little things you'll see
How wonderful each day can be!

By Amanda Bradley

HOME Is Where There's One to Love Us!

Home's not merely four square walls,
Though with pictures hung and gilded;
Home is where Affection calls.
Filled with shrines the Heart hath builded!

Home! - go watch the faithful dove,
Sailing 'neath the heaven above us;
Home is where there's one to love!
Home is where there's one to love us!

Home's not merely roof and room --
It needs something to endear it;
Home is where the heart can bloom,
Where there's some kind lip to cheer it!

What is home with none to meet,
None to welcome, none to greet us?
Home is sweet -- and only sweet --
Where there's one we love to meet us!

by Charles Swain

FRIENDS

A friend is like a four leaf clover, hard to find but lucky to have.

-Samantha Rosales-

Friends will come and friends will go,
The seasons change and it will show,
I will age and so will you,
But our friendship stays, strong and true.

-Anonymous-

There's nothing as nice as someone who shares, your laughter, your secrets, your wishes and cares, someone who's there through your good times and tears, who stays by your side as your friend through the years.

-Autymn Skillings-

A Winner's Creed

"If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't;
If you'd like to win, but think you can't.
It's almost a cinch you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a person's faith;
It's all in the state of mind.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster hand;
They go to the one who trusts in GOD
And always thinks "I can!"

- Author unknown -

The Love of A Friend

Friendship --
Like music heard on the waters,
Like pines when the wind passeth by,
Like pearls in the depths of the ocean,
Like stars that enamel the sky,
Like June and the odor of roses,
Like dew and the freshness of morn,
Like sunshine that kisseth the clover,
Like tassels of silk on the corn,
Like mountains that arch the blue heavens,
LIke clouds when the sun dippeth low,
Like songs of birds in the forests,
Like brooks where the sweet waters flow,
Like dreams of Arcadian pleasures,
Like colors that gratefully blend,
Like everything breathing of kindness -
Like these is the love of a friend.

by A.P. Stanley

My Task

To be honest, to be kind;
To earn a little and to spend a little less;
To make upon
The whole a family happier for his presence;
To renounce when that shall be necessary And not to be embittered;
To keep a few friends, But those without capitulation;
Above all, on the same grim conditions,
To keep friends with himself -
Here is a task
For all that man has of fortitude and delicacy.

by Robert Louis Stevenson

HUGS

"There's something in a simple hug
That always warms the heart;
It welcomes us back home
And makes it easier to part.

A hug's a way to share the joy
And sad times we go through,
Or just a way for friends to say
They like you 'cause you're you.

Hugs are meant for anyone
For whom we really care,
From your grandma to your neighbor -
Or a cuddly teddy bear.

A hug is an amazing thing -
It's just the perfect way
To show the love we're feeling
But can't find the words to say."

The Things I Prize

These are the things I prize
And hold of dearest worth:
Light of the sapphire skies,
Peace of the silent hills,
Shelter of the forests,
Comfort of the grass,
Music of birds, murmur of little rills,
Shadows of cloud that shiftly pass,
And, after showers,
The smell of flowers
And of the good brown earth -
And best of all, along the way,
Friendship and mirth.

by Henry Van Dyke

So Close To Me You're Family

To the YU family!
- Jeannie, Airvony, Dong, Auntie and Uncle

Born into this world to a group of lovely people
That I did not choose.
Went through life and found you
And knew I could not lose.
I love the group of people I was born into.
But know this I feel the same love,
Devotion, commitment, closeness toward you.
Against the world and it's challenges
It's you and me.
It makes me feel so glad that you are
All of what is said above,
For you to me will always be family.

JADE ICE

HELLO MY FRIEND (FAMILY)!
Hello my friend
It has been a while
I miss your voice
I miss your smile
I am sending you this greeting
From across the miles

Although we are so very far apart
I will always love you
And hold you so dear in my heart

I think of you each and every day
Sending love and prayers your way
And to let you know I am okay

Please remember me
Like I have remembered you
And that I am always here for you

Melissa Ann Powell

Friendship Knows No Distance

To my favorite cousin, Jeannie

"Friendship knows no distance, for together or apart
Good friends have many memories that help them close at heart
Memories of moments shared with laughter or with tears
That grow still warmer day by day and brightens with each year
And every fond remembrance comes to mean so very much
For friendship knows no distance when good friends keep in touch!"

A Real Friend

To Susan and Espie
(my two long lost friends)

A real friend is someone
who is there for you through thick and thin.
A real friend doesn't talk about you
Behind your back
and then smile in your face.

A real friend is a person
That is truthful and honest to you.
A real friend will be your real friend
Until the end of time.

MzSaSsy

FRIENDS!

To my best friends
- Cas, Kat, Alou and Mimi

"People don't talk much about the love
Friends have for one another.
Oh, we talk about liking friends
But some friends add so much to our lives
That "like" just isn't strong enough to descibe the bond.

You're that special kind of friend
I never get tired of your company.
And I can always be myself with you,
Confide in you, depend on you.
So, I thought I'd let you know that
I don't just like you - I love you...
For being such a great person, such a good friend."

Let's Never Let Go Of Our Friendship

To my loving husband

"I don't ever want us to let go of each other
Maybe our paths will go in separate directions
But that won't change the bond
We share and what's in our heart.

My friend, no matter where I am or what I am doing
When you come to mind
A smile comes to my face
And a warmth settles in my heart.

The day you and I met will always be cherished
We've grown together, done a lot together
And no matter what, we always let each other knows
That we do love and care about each other.

You are more than just a friend to me
I often struggle to say how I feel
But I hope we never let go of what we share
Because whether its across the miles
Or just a short distance
You are and will always be a part of my life and me."