fim.de.semana

This past weekend was so much fun! One of my favorite people in the world visited with her fiancee- another really good friend of mine. We went to some sporting events and hung out with old friends. I am so amazed at how good life actually is. I am thankful for the people that have made life what it is for me-my family, friends, and people all around me that do little things but leave a big impression. One quote that really guided me when I was on the mission was by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He said,

" I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming."

I feel that I have been molded and likewise have influenced those around me by the simple things I do. What a blessing that is! What a responsibility!

I talked to an amazing woman in Portugal the other day, and I almost had tears streaming down my face. I miss it so much! But as she was talking, I heard strength in her voice, which made me feel stronger as well. We need to all be that strength for each other. In life we need to know what it means to be a real friend to people. I am coming to realize that is where the joy comes from. Not the superficial relationships where you talk to a person once a month or everytime you happen to run into them, but to give them a call or a note, just to make them feel special and let them know they matter. Like Goethe said," If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming." Life is so beautiful!