placebo of love

"Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love". I love you. It's not a weight you must carry around. I love you. It's not a box that holds you in. I love you. It's not a standard you have to bear. I love you. It's not a sacrifice I make. I love you. It's not a pedestal you are frozen upon. I love you. It's not an expectation of perfection. I love you. It's not my life's whole purpose (or your's). I love you. It's not to make you change. I love you. It's not even to make you love me. I love you. It's as pure and simple as that. ~ Anonymous

Leader Vs. Follower

culled from Achieving Personal Greatness-Tim Lavender. written and edited by 'Seun Johnson. ............perhaps one of the best ways to understand what it means to be a leader is to take a brief look at what it means to be a follower. A follower *follows the crowd.He does what others are doing or what others tell him to do. *follows his nose.He does what is immediately in front of him with no fore thought of the future. *follows his emotions.He does what feels good at any particular moment,with little concern for consequences,personal growth,or the development of his potentials. *follows the lead of others.He takes a job because it is offered rather than looking at the way that job fits and challenges his innate talents;he joins a club because he is asked to join instead of considering how that club's purposes reflects his purpose in living. *follows the path of least resistance.He does not actively seek out the things that demand intellectual,emotional,or spiritual growth. The exact opposite is true of a genuine leader. A leader who manifests personal greatness *determines the right path to follow personally,and then marks out hat path. *thinks about tomorrow.He sets goals and makes plans to get to the place he wants to be. *recognizes that he has the potential always for influencing others,and he seeks to influence others for good. *weighs affiliations,memberships,and opportunities in the light of their ability to help him become the person he wants to be.He intentionally pursues opportunities and relationships that he believes will be mutually beneficial for the accomplishment of worthy goals. "I am going somwhere.I am bcoming today more than I was yesterday-by intention,efforts,learning,and practice,with a goal,plan,and a purpose" "I know I can Be,Exactly what I want to Be!"