I’m always reading books on life lessons and wisdom. Perhaps it is me just getting older. Or perhaps it is me getting wiser 🙂 and realising that the smarter person learns from the experiences / mistakes / lessons of others, rather than needing to learn everything through their own experience. Either way, I hope you’ll like this. I saw it on Facebook and thought I’d share it with you, along with a few of my own additions throughout. Enjoy.

I believe … You should take more photos. A Birth Certificate shows that we were born. A Death Certificate shows that we died. But pictures show that we have lived !They remind us of all out adventures and experiences. Of the people we’ve met and the friends we’ve had/have. They remind us of the good and the bad times; the funny times and the sad times; the silly times and the sacred moments.
I believe … 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.

I believe … That we don’t have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I believe … That no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that. No one is perfect after all and we all make mistakes, whether intentionally or not.

I believe … That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. The same goes for true love.

I believe … That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life. Regret is a terrible thing.

I believe … That it’ s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe … That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them. And even if it isn’t, telling people how you really feel is such a great way to live your life and enrich your relationships.

I believe … That you can keep going long after you think you can’t.

I believe … That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe … That either you control your attitude or it controls you. And this is one of the hardest battles. To conquer that little voice and to master your speech and thoughts. But it is a battle that is worth winning. As mindset and attitude are such keys to living a happy, enriched and fulfilled life.

I believe … That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences. And the greatest heroes are often the ones no-one sees.

I believe … That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe …  that trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body. (A great quote by George Carlin – and its true. True happiness is so much deeper and broader than just possessions or money.)

I believe … That sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.

I believe … 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.

I believe … That it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe … That no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn’t stop for your grief. For better or worse, life goes on.

I believe … That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe … Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe … That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don’t even know you.

I believe … 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.

I believe … That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I believe … That life is precious and that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I believe … The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have. Or said another way – happiness is not necessarily having everything you want, but wanting what you have.

I believe … we were created by God. That the world he created is incredible – from every different animal; to the miracle of birth; to the intricacy of the human eye; to the power of the human brain; to sun and wind and snow and sand; to the conscience he imprinted on everyone’s hearts. I believe that Jesus was born, lived, died and rose and that he is God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that the bible and science aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, I believe that there is a lot we don’t yet know about the world and a lot we may never know. I believe that religion is man-made and has a lot to answer for – and that religion and what Jesus actually taught and stood for (as we read in the bible) are often very different (sadly). I believe that God gets a bad wrap – that he isn’t a kill-joy or out to get us. He loves us far more than we will ever know and delights in doing us good. I believe you don’t need to see things to believe in them.

I believe … that wars never solve anything and that love is the answer.