I've Learned
That I can't make someone love me.
All I can do
is be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them.
That no matter how much I care,
some people just don't care back.
That it takes years to build up trust,
and only seconds to destroy it.
That it's not what I have in my life
but who I have in my life that counts.
That I can get by on charm
for about fifteen minutes.
After that, I'd better know something.
That I shouldn't compare myself
to the best others can do
but to the best I can do.
That it's not what happens to people that's important.
It's what they do about it.
That I can do something in an instant
that could give me heartache for life.
That no matter how thin I slice it,
there are always two sides.
That it's taken me a long time
to become the person I want to be.
That it's a lot easier to react than it is to think.
That I should always leave loved ones
with loving words.
It could be the last time I see them.
That I can keep going long after I think I can't.
That I am responsible for what I do.
That either I control my attitude or it controls me.
That regardless of how hot and steamy
a relationship is at first,
the passion fades
and there had better be
something else to take its place.
That heroes are the people
who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.
That learning to forgive takes practice.
That money is a lousy way of keeping score.
That sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me
the right to be cruel.
That true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.
That just because someone doesn't love me
the way I want them to
doesn't mean they don't love me
with all they have.
That maturity has more to do with
what types of experiences you've had
and what you've learned from them
and less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.
That you should never tell a child
their dreams are unlikely or outlandish.
Few things are more humiliating,
and what a tragedy it would be
if they believed it.
That my family will always be there for me.
That people I'm not related to
can love me
and teach me to trust people again.
Not all families are biological.
That it isn't always enough
to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn
to forgive yourself.
That no matter how bad
my heart was broken
the world didn't stop for my grief.
That our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible
for who we become.
That just because two people argue,
it doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
it doesn't mean they do.
That we don't have to change friends
if we understand that friends change.
That you shouldn't be so
eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.
That two people can look
at the exact same thing
and see something totally different. 
That no matter how you try to protect your children,
they will eventually get hurt
and you will hurt in the process.
That no matter the consequences,
those who are honest with themselves
get farther in life.
That your life can be changed
in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.
That even when you think
you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you,
you will find the strength to help.
That writing, as well as talking,
can ease emotional pains.
That although the word "love"
can have many different meanings,
it loses value when overly used.
That it's hard to determine
where to draw the line
between being nice and
not hurting people's feelings
and standing up for what you believe.
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The A - Z of Friendship 