Real People... Wishing you REAL PEACE and JOY

As the year comes to a close, I love to pause and reflect on how it has been spent before putting it to rest in my heart as part of my store of precious memories. As always happens each year, remarkable people who have made a difference in my life pass on, leaving me with a lifetime of lessons to draw upon. Not the most famous or profound of this year’s group was actress Joan Fontaine, sister of Olivia de Havilland. Both had successful careers but, for whatever reasons, could not repair their damaged relationship, which had lasted for decades.

To me, this is such an important lesson. Forgiveness is as much for one’s self as for another. I wonder how much effort and energy each one spent through the years harboring and nurturing ill feelings? All of us are imperfect, all of us make mistakes. Sometimes, we even hurt those we love. I may not forget what happened or understand why, but if I can forgive, I free myself from expending so much negative emotion and energy to sustain such animosity. This opens my heart to receive and delight in peace and joy every day.

Forgiveness is a priceless gift to give to everyone…including myself. This even includes forgiving oneself for not reaching all the goals we set for the year. It is time to learn from them and let them go. Do not drag them with you into your New Year. Make your peace and find your joy.

My gift to you is some of my very favorite quotes about PEACE and JOY!

Let’s get ready to celebrate an incredible New Year. It is just around the corner.

I Care, Barb

Quotes

Peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal
Martin Luther King Jr

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.
Richard Bach

Peace is always beautiful.
Walt Whitman

Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.
Mother Teresa

Peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be achieved by understanding.
Albert Einstein

Things won are done, joy’s soul lies in the doing.
William Shakespeare

It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.
Leo Buscaglia

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace
Jimi Hendrix

A laugh, to be joyous, must flow from a joyous heart, for without kindness, there can be no true joy.
Thomas Carlyle

If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies
Archbishop Tutu

Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give. Eleanor Roosevelt