The best this life has to offer

"It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anythingbut the best, you very often get it"

- William Somerset Maugham

I can't tell you how many times I have been told never to settle, to never accept anything less than the best. It's one of my major character flaws. I am kind and accepting, but to a fault. I think it's one of those things where you think, well eventually I won'be like this. Eventually I'll grow out of it and right now I can just "be me".

But who is "me?" There is a quote that floats around that goes something like this: "God loves you just the way you are, but he loves you too much to leave you that way."

Being you could any number of things and any number of stages of you. There isnt' just one "you". Being yourself is a complete choice, but not just any choice, it's a layered and difficult choice. You can be the "you" you are comfortable with that never has to do anything more. Or you can be the "you" that you have always wanted to be and strive for refinement and dignity. Then there are all those layers inbetween...it all comes down to you. There is no scapegoat of "I was born this way" like Lady Gaga says. Sure, you can be born into just awful circumstances and rise above, or even born into the best environment possible and sink far below.

I think that the key if figuring out who you really are anyway. You are a child of God. A God! Think about it, God is all-powerful, all-knowing and perfect. Flawless! He is all loving, all caring and all sorts of involved in very detail of everything! That is potential we all have. No one is exempt.

If there is ever a time to step back and think, do I deserve this? Am I good enough? The answer will always be a thousand times YES. But, that begs the other question, are you will to sacrifice, swallow your pride and follow what He wants? Even when it doesn't make sense and even when you REALLY don't want to? Remember, you are you...you can do whatever you want. Make the choice and stick with it.

"It's a funny thing about life, if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it."

Half the battle is in making the decision...

The other half is sticking to it.

I'm sure you've noticed a recurring theme in my blog, that of having witty quotes to help me portray what I'm feeling. Well, I have to say that this edition is pretty special. I hadn't heard this one before, but it's pretty special.

Each indecision brings its own delays and days are lost lamenting over lost days... What you can do or think you can do, begin it. For boldness has magic, power, and genius in it.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

It's so true. How many times have you been so scared about making the decision that you just stand there, petrified of going left or right but knowing you're wrong to not move but still unsure of which way to go. Choose left and you get your heartbroken and so does he, choose right and you get your heartbroken and well, so does he. No one can win. You are stuck. Either way you get hurt and so do they. Stay put and you both are in a hellish limbo not knowing anything for sure.

Relationships...every single person craves them, every enraptured couple in the beginning is in a euphoric bubble of bliss that makes those on the outside cringe just a little. Then there is the couple that is just coming off that high and realizing that things are hard and added pressure just makes it all worse. But if they can get through that they reach what is true serenity...that moment when you realize that no matter how tall the mountain, deep the ocean, dark the night and blazing the day, you are going to stick together like glue because you found something you know you can't live without. What is it? True, understanding, committed and utterly devoted love.
A love that everyone who hasn't experienced thinks is only in fairy-tales with handsome princes and beauties who never age or gain an inch. But it does exist. It does and is worth fighting for. The only question that remains is this: Are they that diamond in the rough or are they the learning experience disguised as cubic zirconium?

"What you can do or think you can do, begin it. For boldness has magic, power, and genius in it."

Hold out for your diamond, even when the cubic zirconium
looks really good in the moment.