Friends

Real friends are:

There when you need them, not simply when it is convenient.
Concerned about you over their personal gains.
Able to make you laugh when you feel like crying.
Supportive of your interests even when it is different from theirs.
There to share new ideas without judgement.
Willing to risk telling you the truth, even if it offends you.
Glad to derive joy in your accomplishments.
Fountains of wisdom, when you have no ideas.
Gifts of God to share in your life experience.

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

"Friends may come from different cultures and practice a variety of beliefs but are solid to the core." tc

Words

There are hundreds of thousands of words in the English language.  Some of those words readily translate into other languages and some do not. Cultural influence and personal preference instill word meaning. What type of words do you place a value upon? Are you drawing a blank?  For example, I can say things like: love, bitch, hate, children, gay, faith, nature, gringo, hitchhiker, or Vietnam Veteran. None of these words are bad! However, it is the meaning that we have attached to the words that creates a stigma of acceptance or derogatory connotation.
Most people think of the word love with a sense of reverence. However, for someone who does not feel love in their life, that word is less than evocative. At one time in history, the word gay instilled thoughts of fun and loads of joy.  Today, it has been given an offensive context as a slang word towards same-sex attraction. There was a dark point in recent American history, wherein the phrase Vietnam Veteran ignited riots and acts of aggression towards others. At present, memorials, monuments and holidays are designated to those individuals who were asked to sacrifice for the interest of our country.
Spoken expression is one of the most misunderstood and inflammatory means of communication. It can invoke feelings of kindness and respect or create a mountain of frozen ideas that may take months or years to defrost.  As you move through each day, it might be a good idea to become more cognoscente of words that you use that may be easily misconstrued or clearly comprehended.

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

"Words are only concepts, until felt and given meaning." tc

Honest Flow

Do you think that no one will detect the narrow look in your eyes?  Are you so clever that the slight change in your mannerism will go unnoticed? Do you really believe that the smirk of deception on your face will be passed off as a joke? As you fidget your fingers in your lap, do you think you have convinced me that you are relaxed and worry free?
It is so easy to tell the truth.  You say it like it is and everyone else has to deal with it. The truth will always rise to the surface.  It may be frozen under the ice for a time but when the water thaws the rush of consequence is oftentimes more damaging than the initial admittance would have been, anyway. 
Unfortunately, because of a person's inability to face the truth themselves, lies are created and elaborated upon, until even the one telling the lie ends of forgetting the truth. 
Lies tangle up the smooth flow of life.  The knarled twists and turns of deception always strangle the deliverer at some point. It may take years but the turbulant stress of trickery will show on their face like a flood ripping apart the land as it moves across it.

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

"The protective encasement of lies surrounding you will only last until the season changes." tc

Uncanny ability

Admittedly, I have an uncanny ability :) that allows me to see all the good and bad aspects of people around me.  It is such a rare gift that for a time, I thought it was important to use this gift and point out the flaws of others!
Then, in my alienated state of being, I started looking for the similarities that I share with each person I encounter, rather than the differences.  How fascinating to learn that deep down, we are all basically the same.  We all want to feel love, laugh with others and have a meaningful life experience.  This newfound gift of acceptance has brought me closer to people, animals and God.

On that note, the quote of the day is:

"The only difference between an arctic blast and the breath of heaven is the amount of Light shining around you."