Never Say Never. Except Sometimes.

Never confuse movement with action.

Never dare to to judge till you have heard the other side.
 
Never dull your shine for somebody else.

Never continue in a job you don't enjoy.

Never feel self-pity, the most destructive emotion there is.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

Never let the odds keep you from pursuing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.

Never lose a chance of saying a kind word.

Never depend on immersion in another person for your personal growth.

Never rise to speak till you have something to say; and when you have said it, cease.

Never stop giving thanks for what you are now, and never stop fighting for what you want to be tomorrow.

Let's pretend that I came up with these "Neverisms" myself, why don't we?  That would be just for pretend, however, because I stole most of them from the Huffington Post this morning.  Anyway.  Let's not quibble with details. 

By Golly, I Will Say Something Positive.

Today it is raining.  Well, at least that is positive.  In my world it is, anyway.

Aside from the rain, it's a stretch to make myself come up with something positive today.  As you know, yesterday was Mothers Day.  Mothers Day is about moms.  I had high hopes (way too high, I realize once again) for a special Mothers Day this year.  After four long years, I was nearly convinced that I was finally going to be able to join the ranks of Mother-kind.  I'll admit.  I allowed myself to get carried away with the idea, which is always, always, always a bad idea. 

And then not.  

And then I was crushed. 

And then I have to figure out a way to pick the pieces back up and keep on going. 

But hey, it's raining, right? 

A Complicated Mix of Emotions

I have a weird mix of emotions about today.  I'm happy, and I'm afraid, and I'm a little sad, and very proud.  

I think that the world is a better place today than it was yesterday, when Bin Laden was alive and well.  Hate is poison, and poison spreads.  So that's the happy part of me.  But do I think for one minute that the fact that we finally got him is really going to change very much?  Nope, not really.  Had we caught him sooner, perhaps it would have been more impactful.  But at this point in the game, so many splinter groups have already grown and flourished, they have become major threats in and of themselves.  Bin Laden kind of went out of style, from what I can tell.  The world has moved on from a single leader running all of the radical terrorist sects.  And that's the part of me that is afraid.  What are we in for?  It scares me to think about what we may have ignited, justified and necessary as it was?

That being said, though, I think it's good for the rest of the world, and especially good for the American people to bring closure to September 11 and to finally see justice served. I feel happy and proud for those who lost their loved ones in the attacks on 9/11.  I can't even wrap my mind around how they must have felt, day in and day out, knowing that the mastermind of the attack was still walking around as a free man, living, breathing and apparently plotting other attacks? 

I am innately uncomfortable with celebrating death, anyone's death.  On a human level, I don't think it's right.  The Daily News this morning ran a full front page story proclaiming "Rot in Hell".  Don't get me wrong.  I understand the feelings out there, and I don't disagree.  But I do think that embracing hatred like that brings you just a little bit closer to those same terrorists who act out of hate.  Hate is hate, whether you are an American, a Saudi, a Muslim or a Christian. 


Anyway, just some thoughts as I start to process.  I think it's safe to say that this is a pretty important day in the history of our country, of the world, of peace and unity.