Don't let others steal your joy.
Let no one snuff out your candle, because it is your candle, not theirs.
Don't mock someone's laugh. If you do, they may never laugh again.
Don't let your offhand comment that took you 10 seconds to say...cause someone to have to endure years of therapy...or years of self doubt.
We can tell ourselves "I don't care what others think". "I have a thick skin". But we are usually lying to ourselves as we try to make ourselves believe that.
We are social creatures...all of us. And when doubt is cast on our intentions, it hurts, and I don't care how "thick skinned" you are...it hurts.
If someone is excited about something, share their joy, even if you don't care about the thing they are excited about.
Giving a compliment is easier than giving an insult. Smiling and pointing out an attribute is easier than pointing out a flaw. And it's better for both the person doing the complimenting, and the person getting complimented.
If you love someone, tell them. And then show them. Both actions and words speak loudly.
Negative comments are never forgotten. Positive comments about someone's attributes are also never forgotten...they will cheer a person up years later as they recall something positive someone said about them. By the same token, negative comments will shatter them even years later.
Protect the hearts of others.
This is how I try to live, and I often fail miserably, but I try.
We have all hurt people in out lives, and the best we can do is to try to abate those hurtful actions by trying to be better the next time.
The more I age, the more I realize that these reasons are why we are here. Nothing else.
Or to put it simply, as the sticker on my barber's mirror says..."try not to be a dick".
I never gave these things a thought when I was young, but I do now.
I want to be remembered as someone who made people feel good...that's it. I think that is something good to aspire to.
I don't want to be remembered for what I have, what I earned...I want to be remembered for how I made people feel.
What is more noble than that? Nothing in my opinion.
That's how I choose to live, and my wish is to get better at it. because like everyone else, I'm far from perfect, and a lot of the time, I do not live up to my own expectations of myself.
Smile at a stranger today...you just might save their life. Most of us have probably saved many lives without realizing it...just by acknowledging the existence of someone who was on the edge...only we had no idea just how on the edge they were.
Help others, but not to the point where you damage yourself in the process. Keep yourself alive and healthy. You must love yourself before you can be of any benefit to others. And some people only have themselves to love. Recognize that and boost up their self-love whenever you can.
Most importantly...before you judge, recognize that none of us had the same "starting line" in life.
Just some thoughts I have this morning... we all have the chance to get better, as we get older and wiser.
I hope you all have a nice day.
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Me too.
But, I failed. Not of lack of trying, but the truth is the truth.
I hope you do not. 
So beautiful and so needed during these challenging times.
I think it's made me more able to be nice to others that I want to be nice to. :/ (working on the judgy parts!)
Wisdom and kindness.
Thank you.
