Never look back too long

Never look back unless you are planning to go that way. Henry David Thoreau Far too much time is spent on reflection instead of progression. We engage in removing scabs from a painful past, only to relive the terrible moments as opposed to preparing to move forward and protect ourselves from further injury, while living life to the fullest. Leave yesterday behind and press ever forward. There are a plethora of new battles that require your immediate attention. Never look back too long, you may get stuck there.

Know your purpose

To forget one's purpose is the commonest form of stupidity. --Friedrich Nietzsche
It is truly amazing how many people never consider what it means to live a purposeful life. Never realizing that every action or inaction has consequences.

I have just three things to teach.

“I have just three things to teach: Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and in thoughts, You return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, Your accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, You reconcile all beings in the world.” ~Lao Tzu
Life is not as complicated as we make It out to be. Relationships aren't as complicated as you think. You're either attracted to the wrong persons, not willing to commit, or you have deemed your partner inadequate or not worthy of your respect.  It could be your chosen partner is guilty of the same. Perhaps both of you suffer similar dispositions. Patience, consider the value of your time as well as your partner's. If you have little or no patience you have low regard for others. Compassionate towards one's self breeds compassion for others. It is difficult to receive what you are not willing to give. If you lack either of these dispositions you are not ready for relationships with others. You are  not in harmony with yourself or others. You will invent reasons for discord. Learn these three things and everything else will fall into place.

We are not oligarchs or tyrants

Both oligarch and tyrant mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms. --Aristotle
I believe he people must always have the right to dissent in word and deed. I am not the biggest second ammendment guy however, it serves it's purpose in the constitution. Politicians should be concerned with the people holding them accountable for actions as well as their inactions. The police should feel concerns from the people that they serve and protect when they fail to do their jobs properly. Teachers should expect to be fired when they fail to adequately educate our children.  None of the aforementioned should fear being fired upon by citizens unable to control their rage and anger over arbitrary issues in life. With rights come responsibilities. The good guys with guns need to start preventing the bad guys from obtaining a gun and when a so called good guy does something bad with a gun, call him on it. Not a sermon, just a thought.

Lose the battle not the war

Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even." Muhammad Ali
This life is wrought with wins and losses, ups and downs, joy and heart ache, there are highs and lows, then there are those that see through rose colored glasses. Everything is alright, there is never anything bad or wrong in their lives. I am not one of those blessed creatures.  I like to look at life through pragmatic eyes. Yes, I have been defeated, I've suffered losses and endured great pain. I've been cheated, wronged and falsely accused. I have made many mistakes on my own. These things do not define me. My reaction to these things and the lessons I have learned from these things define me. What I do for others ultimately define me. How I now see the world, one people, one planet and one huge family of humanity who's lives are all woven together in the fabric of life. Suffer when you must but, always recover. Lose the battle not the war.

Your death song

“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.” chief tecumsah
If you live your life as though you might die one day, you would make the most of every second of every day. It is the fear of death that forces us to discount it entirely.  It prevents us from living full lives. We build walls and barriers to forget our mortality.  Make no mistake you will die, the question becomes will you have prepared your life to include a death song.

Truth

On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow. --Friedrich Nietzsche What is truth? Truth is an enduring fact that can withstand the test of time and the illuminations of constant inspections and regular investigations. It is both bitter and sweet to the taste, but most desirable to the to the reasoned man. It is both soothing and at times uncomfortable, it is ugly and can be beautiful, as well as good and bad. Truth is what it is, and it is necessary.

Character

You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one. -Henry David Thoreau Character must be formed in the crucible of time and  hard work. Hoping and wishing will not get it done. Much like a workout in the gym it requires a total body commitment to achieve true character. Not just shoulders and arms, not just chest and back but legs as well. Generally, this comes in the form of loving parents, sometimes it comes from a coach in the gym or on the playing field, its been known to come from a wonderful teacher in the classroom, once in a while it comes from a drill instructor in the military, it can even come from a stranger on the street, and every now and then an inspiring author. However the opportunity presents presents itself, seize it every time. Evaluate and assess life's journey regularly. Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others. Then make yourself available to teach, mentor and instruct others as you too have learned. This is true character.

Never get angry with a thing for doing what it does.

"Never get angry with a thing for doing what it does, be angry for not knowing what it was." John H. Miner,Sr. When my dad first uttered those poetic words (I have since made them more poetic) I thought something was was wrong with him. As time passed, I came to see the sheer brilliance in his words. Consider this, accept people and things for what they are, not what you hope or would like them to be. Use deductive reasoning not inductive to determine the scope of your synthesis. Stop projecting superstition and emotional provocations onto others. Discern clearly the intentions of a thing or person before ascribing particular values. Perceive things as they are use them for what they are. In the end you be closer to living the good life.

Make your own reality

"No one ever is defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality." Napoleon Hill
Perception is not reality.  Deductive reason is reality.  This can only occur when all of the facts have been gathered. Until you you have finished gathering all of the facts and nothing more remains, it's not over.