- Love never dies. It is the energy all around you and it is the very thing that makes your body and soul. But it must be nourished in order to grow.
- Know thyself! Learn about Abe Lincoln in school but spend the rest of your time learning about you.
- Life will demand much of you but you will have nothing to give it unless you take time for yourself. Read books in quiet places. That goes for you too, Joseph. Your sisters are excellent readers already.
- You do not NEED anyone else to be happy. Happiness is a state of mind; not an external circumstance. If you do NEED someone to be happy then you are not in control of your life. THEY are.
- Make learning a lifelong pursuit. I probably won’t live long enough to learn to levitate but I hope you will, my Loves.
- Learn the difference between religion and your spirit. They are not the same.
- Question EVERYTHING. Question these words. Think for yourself. Always.
- The universe will give you anything you desire. Let me repeat that. The universe will give you ANYTHING you desire. Choose your thoughts about yourself and others very carefully. If your brain and heart are in cahoots, your power as an individual is endless. Choose wisely.
- Your freedom as a person is not given to you by anyone or anything. Freedom is a birthright. There are consequences to every action but you always have the freedom to do as you wish.
- If 6 billion people believe one thing but you believe another, trust yourself. Based on the numbers, you are more than likely correct.
- Don’t EVER be afraid of the truth. Truth is your friend. Not your enemy.
- Embrace change. Every cell in your body is replaced every 30 days so don’t even think that you can’t change your thoughts about something. If you are holding onto destructive thoughts then it’s your own fault, not nature’s.
- Don’t ever let anyone tell you who or what God is. Figure it out yourself. Seek and ye shall find. The answer will be a delightful surprise.
- Learn Fung Shui. Your home and your sanity will thank you.
- I am your Dad and my favorite quote is: What you resist persists; what you look at disappears. -Neale Donald Walsch. Learn the difference between reality and illusion.
- Be self-sufficient. It is a grand opportunity to help others.
- Be aware of yourself and how and what you think. The world OUTSIDE is a reflection of your world INSIDE. This will be true all your life and forevermore.
- Don’t complicate things. We as humans have a disturbing ability to dramatize simple situations. Don’t get caught up in it. Skydiving is inherently dramatic. Daytime television is not. Go skydiving.
- Marriage is beautiful and fulfilling and WAY more complicated than you think it is. Figure yourself out first. Then get married.
- Your mother and I love you short, tall, fat, skinny, bald, pimpled, rich, poor, free, incarcerated, Buddhist, gay, heterosexual, Democrat or Republican (I pray you see a bigger picture than politics), hippy, banker, dancer, philosopher, artist, weight lifter, or Olympic Badminton gold medalist. Your only requirement is to BE HAPPY in whatever you do and whoever you are.
- Be thankful for calamity, distress, failure, and disappointment along with success and happiness. You can’t know and appreciate one without the other.
- Expectations are dangerous. Hold on to them loosely and understand that the only person than you can control is YOU.
- Have opinions and express them constructively.
- Have emotions and express them constructively.
- Have anger and express it constructively.
- Have love and express it constructively.
- Suppressing any of the previous will turn you into a sad and depressed monster.
- Be vulnerable.
- Take care of your body. Your mind functions better when your body functions well.
- You can learn much from a dog. Time isn’t linear in a dog’s mind. There’s just ‘now’ for a dog. Don’t procrastinate.
- Be nice to dogs.
- Love each other and play with your brother and sister's kids. Aunts and Uncles are important.
For Joe, Emily, and Kate. I love you endlessly.
