Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland

Death is nothing at all. 
It does not count. 
I have only slipped away into the next room. 
Nothing has happened. 

Everything remains exactly as it was. 
I am I, and you are you, 
and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged. 
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. 

Call me by the old familiar name. 
Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. 
Put no difference into your tone. 
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. 

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. 
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. 
Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it. 

Life means all that it ever meant. 
It is the same as it ever was. 
There is absolute and unbroken continuity. 
What is this death but a negligible accident? 

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? 
I am but waiting for you, for an interval, 
somewhere very near, 
just round the corner. 

All is well. 
Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. 
One brief moment and all will be as it was before. 
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!


- by Henry Scott Holland  

Things Mentally Strong People Do

1. They move on. They don't waste time feeling sorry for themselves.

2. They keep control. They don't give away their power.

3. They embrace change. They welcome challenges.

4. They stay happy. They don't complain or waste time on things they can't control.

5. They are kind, fair, and unafraid to speak up. They don't worry about pleasing other people.

6. They are willing to take calculated risks. They weigh the risks and benefits before taking action.

7. They invest their energy in the present. They don't dwell on the past.

8. They accept full responsibility for their past behavior. They don't make the same mistake over and over.

9. They celebrate other people's success. They don't resent that success.

10. They are willing to fail. They don't give up after failing. They see every failure as a chance to improve.

11. They enjoy their time alone. They don't fear being alone.

12. They are prepared to work and succeed on their own merits. They don't feel the world owes them anything.


- from robynballiet.com

Great Advice For Life: A Father's Letter to His Child on Graduation

My Dear Child, 

I am so very proud of you. Now, as you prepare to embark on a new journey–your own journey–I’d like to share one piece of advice I wish I’d learned at your age:

Always remember that adversity is not a detour, it’s the path.

You will encounter obstacles. You will make mistakes. Be grateful for both. Your mistakes and failures will be your greatest teachers. And the only way to not make mistakes in this life is to do nothing, which is the biggest mistake of all.

Your challenges, if you’ll let them, will become your greatest allies. Mountains can crush or raise you, depending on which side of the mountain you choose to stand. All history bears out that the great–those who have changed the world–have all suffered great challenges. And, more times than not, it’s precisely those challenges that, in God’s time, lead to triumph.

Abhor victimhood. Denounce entitlement. Neither are gifts, rather cages to damn the soul. Everyone who has walked this earth is a victim of injustice. Everyone.

Most of all, do not be too quick to denounce your sufferings. The difficult road you are called to walk may, in fact, be your only path to success.

Remember, in the end, it is not the destination, but the manner in which you walked that reveals who you are. Walk well. Walk with love. And as you walk remember, always, that I love you.

With all my affection,

Dad

- by Richard Paul Evans