HONOR - SINCERITY - INTEGRITY

My plan for today was to just leave you with a photo.  I took the photo.  I have no idea WHEN I took the photo.  I don't know where I saw this but I'm sure it wasn't in a store.  I definitely would have purchased it.  I'm always in awe of those who can capture the essence of something in a simple statement.  Ye of many words.....  Yes, I'm always wide eyed and captivated.  I know this stuff, the sentiment behind the statement.  But to see it so neatly packaged gets me. Every.Single.Time.  and I mean EVERY Time.  The words speak for themselves.  No explanation required:

These are words I must remember to incorporate into my own life.  I'll go on an internet hunt and find a plaque like this so I can hang it somewhere as a CONSTANT reminder.

And, I am also going to make a sign to remind myself to Live Sincerely.  I found this website thanks to Ann Silberman, my buddy who blogs at But Doctor I Hate Pink.  The project, Live Sincerely, is the genius of a young woman named Vanessa.  She is one of the girls photographed in The Scar Project.  (Again, a "trigger" warning.... there are many photographs and they are REAL....... if you aren't up for it emotionally... don't click... there are times we all need to decompress.  Regroup.  Recharge.)

If you want to participate, you can do so on her website.  If you are not a "link clicker" .....  This is the pledge that I signed on Vanessa's website.  I will live by these words.  Like the short and sweet sentiment on the plaque, these words have captivated me, inspired me, enlightened me.    

I will live sincerely.

I will learn from each person and each day on my journey
and will share ideas and wisdom from my own experiences.

With a grateful spirit, I will acknowledge my need for others
and will in turn be loving and generous,
remembering that every member of a community plays a unique role.

I will remain strong in my convictions
while keeping an open mind to perspectives beyond myself.

Courageously, I will respect each movement of my heart,
through fear and joy, grief and peace.

I will cultivate my passions with delight
and also take time for honest introspection.

I will love the person I am today
while constantly striving towards my best self.

I will keep a healthy balance between the rewards of discipline
and the growth and wonder that spontaneity brings.

I will acknowledge both the marvel and the limitations of my body
and respectfully take care of it the best I can.

Accepting the reality that there are circumstances I cannot change,
I will seize my power to actively change that which I can control
with hope and creativity.

I commit to living each chapter of my story:
honoring the lessons and gifts of my past,
fully participating in the fleeting beauty of the present,
and bravely walking towards the unknowns of my future.

Knowing that life is an enduring but glorious struggle,
I pledge to live each day with purpose.

I will live sincerely.