Quote of the Day 1/31/14

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.  [Leo Buscaglia]

Life Lessons With Lydia (and a Nov/Dec update)

The past few weeks have been exhausting, exhilarating, and educational:exhausting because you run on minimal sleep, exhilarating because life always throws a curveball or three and educational because well, you never stop learning. I have not written in a few weeks but in the meantime, I have been thinking and reflection about what I want to write. There is so much I have experienced and wrestled with the past few months but along the way I have discovered life lessons to abide by and things that naturally, I also struggle with. Ignore my cheesy title, I promise you will find these life lessons very applicable.

Quote of the Day 10/7/11

got this message and it reminded me that words don't cost anything but they sure buy a lot:

"So it's been ages since we met (and last spoke) but I have a story for you... 

So this morning (here in Joburg it's 8:40) I got caught in major traffic for an hour and landed up missing an important lecture. I was sitting in my car, feeling rather irritated, when I stumbled across your blog. Needless to say after reading it I felt inspired to just make the most of the rest of my day.

So thanks for that, it's exactly what I needed."

lost in translation

     It is pretty amazing when you consider the variety of people who go in and out of your life. Theres the people who inspire and motive you; theres people who deceive and mistreat you and theres the people who become part of a small, intimate group we call best friends. 
     I can't say that I have included many people in my "best friends" group,  but I come to learn that its about quality, not quantity. The best friends I have, are rare and priceless. They are people who are far and few between and no words can describe the impact of the role in my life.
     However, what about those people whom you have wanted to tell how much they actually mean to you. It's those friendships where maybe you live far away from each other, or maybe you are just not that sure of how that other person feels about your friendship. No one ever wants to be that creeper-stalker-obsessive friend.
     I have a friendship like that. I have never been more inspired by a peer, then by this person. They are absolutely brilliant. They know what they want and they go for it. They are motivated beyond words and I know without a shadow of a doubt that they will be one of the most successful people of our time. This is one of those people where they just do not know how incredible they really are; they are a gem in our society. In my eyes, this person never fails to surprise me with their maturity, decisions and words of wisdom. I wish I  could adequately transfer to them all the thoughts I have of them. I want more then anything to strengthen my friendship with this person. We started off as complete opposites but the more I get to know this person, I see similarities and ironically differences that bring us together even more. 
     A lot of us have these people, people that we wish we would spill out heart to. But the fear of rejection or just plain old awkwardness prevents us from doing so. One of these days, I will find the courage to say all these things but for now, I am revealing things one step at a time or maybe they will happen to stumble upon this. Regardless, kind words are free but they buy lot... says my wonderful wise mother. She has always told me that people deserve to hear kind words, there can never be too much kind words.