Life—with its many blessings and trials—is truly the greatest gift of all.

I find inspiration in the words of these fine folks:

1) “Some people grumble that roses have thorns; I am grateful that thorns have roses.” ~ Alphonse Karr

2) “At some point in life, the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint or even remember it. It is enough.” ~ Toni Morrison

3) “True forgiveness is when you can say, ‘Thank you for that experience.'” ~ Oprah Winfrey

4) “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” ~ Maya Angelou

5) “God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say thank you?” ~ William Arthur Ward

6) “The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.” ~ Thích Nhất Hạnh

7) “That’s the funny thing about America—the blessed thing. As many people as there are to hold you back, there are angels whose humanity makes up for all the others. I’ve had my share of angels.” ~ Abraham Verghese

8) “My heartfelt wish for you: as you get older, your self will diminish and you will grow in love.” ~ George Saunders

9) “Nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know.” ~ Pema Chödrön

10)“The greatest wisdom is in simplicity. Love, respect, tolerance, sharing, gratitude, forgiveness. It’s not complex or elaborate. The real knowledge is free. It’s encoded in your DNA. All you need is within you. Great teachers have said that from the beginning. Find your heart, and you will find your way.” ~ Carlos Barrios, Mayan elder and Ajq’ij of the Eagle Clan

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Editor: Bryonie Wise