that heroes are the that heroes are the people who do people who do

what has to be what has to be done … when it done … when it needs to be done … needs to be done … regardless of the regardless of the consequences.consequences.

I’ve learned…

that money is a that money is a lousy way lousy way

of keeping score.of keeping score.

I’ve learned…

that maturity has that maturity has more to do with what more to do with what types of experiences types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve had and what you’ve learned from you’ve learned from themthem

and less to do with and less to do with how many birthdays how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.you’ve celebrated.

I’ve learned…

that no matter how that no matter how badly your heart is badly your heart is broken broken

the world doesn’t the world doesn’t stop for your grief.stop for your grief.

I’ve learned…

that our that our background and background and circumstances may circumstances may have influenced have influenced who we are,who we are,

but we are but we are responsible for who responsible for who we become.we become.

I’ve learned…

that credentials on that credentials on the wallthe wall

do not make you a do not make you a decent human decent human being.being.

I’ve learned…

that it’s hard to that it’s hard to determine where to determine where to draw the line draw the line

between being nice between being nice and not hurting and not hurting people’s feelings and people’s feelings and standing up for what standing up for what you believe.you believe.

I’ve learned…

that it takes years that it takes years to build up trust to build up trust

and one second to and one second to destroy it.destroy it.

I’ve learned…

that we are that we are responsible for responsible for what we do … what we do …

no matter how we no matter how we feel.feel.

I’ve learned…

that either you that either you control your control your attitude attitude

or it controls you.or it controls you.

I’ve learned…

that sometimes that sometimes when I’m angry I when I’m angry I have the right to have the right to be angry, be angry,

but that doesn’t but that doesn’t give me the right give me the right to be cruel.to be cruel.

I’ve learned…

that you can get by that you can get by on charm for about on charm for about fifteen minutes. fifteen minutes.

After that, you’d After that, you’d better know better know something.something.

I’ve learned…

that you shouldn’t that you shouldn’t compare yourself compare yourself

to the best others to the best others can do.can do.

I’ve learned…

that you can do that you can do something in an something in an instant instant

that will give you that will give you heartache for life.heartache for life.

I’ve learned…

that it isn’t always that it isn’t always enough to be enough to be forgiven by others. forgiven by others.

Sometimes you Sometimes you have to forgive have to forgive yourself.yourself.

I’ve learned…

that it’s taking me that it’s taking me a long time a long time

to become the to become the person I want to person I want to be.be.

I’ve learned…

that you can keep that you can keep going long going long

after you can’t.after you can’t.

I’ve learned…

that the best that the best classroom in the classroom in the world world

is at the feet of an is at the feet of an elderly person.elderly person.

I’ve learned…

that being kind is that being kind is more important more important

than being right.than being right.

I’ve learned…

that life is like a that life is like a roll of toilet paper. roll of toilet paper.

The closer it gets The closer it gets to the end, the to the end, the faster it goes.faster it goes.

I’ve learned…

that we should be that we should be glad glad

God doesn't give us God doesn't give us everything we ask everything we ask for.for.

I’ve learned…

that money doesn't that money doesn't

buy class.buy class.

I’ve learned…

that it's those that it's those small daily small daily happenings happenings

that make life so that make life so spectacular.spectacular.

I’ve learned…

that the Lord didn't that the Lord didn't do it all in one day. do it all in one day.

What makes me What makes me think I can?think I can?

I’ve learned…

that to ignore the that to ignore the facts facts

does not change does not change the facts.the facts.

I’ve learned…

that love, not time, that love, not time,

heals all wounds.heals all wounds.

I’ve learned…

that the easiest that the easiest way for me to grow way for me to grow as a person is to as a person is to

surround myself surround myself with people with people smarter than I am.smarter than I am.

I’ve learned…

that life is tough, that life is tough,

but I'm tougher.but I'm tougher.

I’ve learned…

that opportunities that opportunities are never lost; are never lost;

someone will take someone will take the ones you miss.the ones you miss.

I’ve learned…

that when you that when you harbor bitterness, harbor bitterness,

happiness will dock happiness will dock elsewhere.elsewhere.

I’ve learned…

that a smile is that a smile is

an inexpensive way an inexpensive way to improve your to improve your looks.looks.

I’ve learned…

that I can't choose that I can't choose how I feel, how I feel,

but I can choose but I can choose what I do about it.what I do about it.

I’ve learned…

that everyone that everyone wants to live on wants to live on top of the top of the mountain, mountain,

but all the but all the happiness and happiness and growth occurs growth occurs while you're while you're climbing it.climbing it.

I’ve learned…

that the less time I that the less time I have to work with, have to work with,

the more things I the more things I get done.get done.

I’ve learned…