7.

"-А теперь скажи мне, что это ты всё время употреьляешь слова 'добрые люди'? Ты всех, что ли, так назывешь?

-Всех,- ответил арестант, -злых людей нет на свете."

-Conversation between Jeshua and Pontius Pilate.

Master and Margaret (Mihail Bulghakov)

"'Now tell me, do you call everyone a "good person? Do you presume to know everyone?'

'Everyone,' answered the captive. "There are no evil people.'"

6.

When we forget our preferences

Set aside our differences

And disable our prejudices

We realize that beneath

the language

the beliefs

the culture

and the skin

We are One.

5.

If your thoughts are running too fast for you to keep up with them, you need to slow down your life.

4.

"Everybody is special. Everybody. Everybody is a hero, a lover, a fool, a villain. Everybody.

"Everybody has their story to tell. Even every Hammond. I should very much like to hear Hammond's story."

-V from "V for Vendetta"

It's a Special Day

So my best friend is all the way over on the East Coast, celebrating his 20th without me. And I'll the way out here on the West Coast, getting ready to celebrate it without him. And this is the second blog I've written about him but I figure he deserves it. For everything he's done.

So I met you on some unspecified day. Only you remember the date; I'm bad with dates. But I remember the day perfectly. Obviously you do, too. I remember being starstruck, kind of. I always heard so much about you. I was just like any other high school kid who wanted to hear you play guitar.

At first I thought you hated me because you were so quiet. Or rather disliked me. I didn't feel like I'd be worth your energy. But then we went up to Sucide Hill and I stopped showing off and trying to be entertaining. We just talked. And I realized something that very first night that would make us best friends forever: other people loved me for my cheerfullness, for the mask I wore. You love me for who I am when I take off the mask.

My life was hell for the next few months. Between boyfriends, parents, friends, work, personal insecurities and mistakes, you were a constant force, pushing me forward, urging me to succeed and never give up.

And here were are, talking about my dreams of your brother being an alien, and speaking common words but in a language only we can understand.

I wanted to write something amazing but I can't compress our friendship into a blog. I wish you could be here today so that we could all celebrate your birthday together.

PS: I'm listening to old Gaslight Anthem. It's not half as good as the stuff we listened to together.

Happy birthday. Thanks for being one of the best gifts God ever gave me.

3.

There are two types of wrong choices:

Those that lead to death

And those that lead noplace at all.

2.

I'm not ashamed before my God as I'm ashamed before my people

For God can see what people dare not understand-

When man is blinded by his need for judgement

The Lord is there to give a firmer hand.

1.

The best offense is a kind word, not a curse.

The best defense is a hug, not a hit.

The best way to battle anger is with love, not hate

Because when you are cruel people shrink from you and cannot listen

But when you are kind, people come to you to hear your words and change.