Long Distance Friends

Generosity is such an exquisite human value! Altruism against selfishness! Kindness instead of meanness! Goodness against wickedness!

People I've met don't give me money. They don't have to. They give me something so much better! They give me their attention, time and readiness to jump right in when I'm riding on a bumpy road.

Not everything is in money. As we all know - money may spin the world but it doesn't bring happiness! And I can't offer money for charity, at least not much since I don't have much myself. But I can offer my ears in full attention, my concerning heart and my open mind.

Can't you?

Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting!
......Author unknown.....

Kindness and Grace Mug by GraceKindness

Important aspect of friendship is having someone dependable in your life. Someone you can trust to stick by your side no matter what! When your life is running smoothly or when you loose your compass.

And I have found that special quality in many of my new friends. When I became overloaded with my 'duties' as mother, wife and working girl (in real life) and lensmaster, groupmaster, SquidAngel and Greeter (in my Squidoo life), they jumped right in! Giving me a helping hand! And becoming my raft which held me on the surface and kept me from drowning.

Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great.
... Ralph Waldo Emerson...

The Hand Shake by LaughingPug

Some people consider this quality as rudeness! Not me. To me straightforwardness means you're able to tell me directly, honestly and without hypocrisy what I need to hear! No patronizing, beauty talk, flattery... That's not me! And I don't want my friends to treat me in such a manner.

Why? Well, I'm pretty much sure I'm not perfect! ;) So, it's always great to have a friend or two who will tell it like it is! If I've done something you don't like - say it! If you think I can improve my deeds somehow - tell me!

Friends are people who give you honest feedback, right?

Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
... Eleanor Roosevelt...
Lemming Writers' Critique Group by inkygirl

Embracing new ideas! New people! Seeing the world with your eyes, mind and heart wide open for everything and everyone!

Open-mindedness is such an extraordinary human characteristic! It allows us to see all the colors of the world, not just black & white!

This virtue is important to me because I want my friends not to judge me or anyone else. I want them to be open to my ideas as I am to theirs. OK, I don't necessarily need to agree with every idea but I'll listen to them without prejudice and give you my best opinion on the matter. And I want the same from them!

Prejudice is opinion without judgement.
... Voltaire...

Creative Cherub Open Mind sticker by whimsyworks

What's so great about courageous people? Why do we admire them? And want to have them in our lives and by our side?

To me, having someone brave around, brings encouragement in my own abilities. Inspiration to create! To dare!

And it doesn't have to be much! Being brave enough to speak your mind. Even to ask questions! Or to change something small - in your daily routine, in your relationship with other people or anything else!

Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared.
... Eddie Rickenbacker...

Courage to Fly by artzfolk

Every aspect of life can be touched and altered with a little burst of creative thinking! You can be creative with your cooking, with decorating your house or even with clothes combination you wear!

Creativity for me is a glimpse of personality!

And what is a better place to find a bunch of creative people than Squidoo? Online, don't think any! Here you can find all topics covered! Many people create! And many of them create work of art lenses!

Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.
.....Mary Lou Cook....

creativity by klcris

And people will love ya! Spontaneous to some people is a sign of weakness. But that's not truth in my opinion. In human nature, as well with animal, instincts are important as a means of surviving. We are not robots - programmed to do exact thing at one moment. We are humans with all of our flaws and virtues.

And if someone is your friend, than it's only natural that you can loosen up in their presence and be what you are. Show your inner self. And don't feel ashamed!

Be who you are and say how you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
.........Dr.Seuss.......

Be different! by Willowdesign

It's really depressing being in the company of pessimist, don't you think? Having by you someone who constantly sees difficulties in everything instead, like optimists, possibilities for finding solutions! Seeing black and maybe some gray instead of seeing all available colors!

I love being in the company of optimists - they make everything possible and reachable! Any goal can be reached, any river crossed and every problem resolved!

When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.
......Author unknown........

Kitty kitty by Annaart

Do you have what it takes to make it? Are you smart, even ingenious? Good looking or, even better, stunning? Well, that will not be sufficient in many life matters! You can have all the qualities in this world, but if you don't have determination to reach goal you put in front of you, none of it will matter much!

I'm not ingenious! Or even stunning! (OK, I'm good looking and smart! LOL) But most of things I've accomplished in my life are almost solely products of my persistence! When I go for something, there is no letting go!

Same thing is with most of my friends. They are persistent in following their dreams and achieving their goals! They know success doesn't come over night but has to be earned! And each little victory on their path gives them impulse to keep going!

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.
.......R.F.Kennedy......

Super Worm

Stay in contact with your friends!

You've got mail by jsoh