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Recommended
Listening
These are
a few of the individual cuts (and the occasional complete CD) that I've
felt to be worth passing along
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Back
to the Light
Brian May -- From Back to the Light
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Too
Much Love Will Kill You
Brian May -- From Back to the Light
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No longer available at Amazon.com |
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39
Queen -- From A Night at the Opera (if
you don't get it, ask me)
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Into
the Rainbow
Max Lasser's Ark -- Entire CD is worth listening to
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Very hard to find |
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Deep
Breakfast
Ray Lynch -- Entire CD is worth listening to
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No longer available at Amazon.com |
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The
Answer
Richie Sambora -- From Stranger in this Town
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We
Can Make It
Boston -- From Walk On (written
by David Sikes)
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Back
to the Top
Quotations
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Tell
your friend a lie. If he keeps it secret, then tell him the truth.
Portuguese Proverb
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There
are some who speak one moment before they think.
Jean de La Bruyère
In Paris they simply stared when I spoke to
them in French; I never did succeed in making those idiots understand
their language.
Mark Twain
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A
man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing
another mistake.
Confucius
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A
truly great man never puts away the simplicity of a child.
Chinese Proverb
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We
need not worry so much about what man descends from-it's what he descends
to that shames the human race.
Mark Twain
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The
Future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes
an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.
C. S. Lewis
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Woman
begins by resisting a man's advances and ends by blocking his retreat.
Oscar Wilde
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Do
not stand in a place of danger trusting in miracles.
Arabic Proverb
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All
that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
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Ah,
but in such an ugly time the true protest is beauty.
Phil Ochs
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The
cynic is the one who knows the price of everything and the value of
nothing.
Oscar Wilde
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Fear
not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather that it shall never
have a beginning.
Cardinal Newman
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A
conservative government is an organized hypocrisy.
Benjamin Disraeli
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He
that will not reason is a bigot;
He that cannot reason is a fool;
He that does not reason is a slave.
Anonymous
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There
is nothing more frightful than a bustling ignorance.
Goethe
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It
is not possible to found a lasting power on injustice.
Demosthenes
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A
man is rich in proportion to the things which he can afford to let
alone.
Henry David Thoreau
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Knowledge
comes but wisdom lingers.
Tennyson
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It
is better to have no ideas than false ones.
Thomas Jefferson
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It
is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out
and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln
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A
man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.
Paul Simon (from 'The Boxer')
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Everyone
is as God made him and oftentimes a good deal worse.
Cervantes
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Too
much love will kill you...
Brian May (from the 'Back to the Light' album)
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Seek
first to understand, then to be understood.
Stephen R. Covey
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I
disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right
to say it.
Voltaire
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You
can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who
can do nothing for them or to them.
Malcolm Forbes
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A
foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little
statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul
has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his
shadow on the wall.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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I
care not what others think of what I do, but I care very much about
what I think of what I do. That is character!
Teddy Roosevelt
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Ask a question and you're a fool for three
minutes; do not ask a question and you're a fool for the rest of your
life.
Chinese Proverb |
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If in the last few years you haven't discarded
a major opinion or acquired a new one, check your pulse. You may be
dead.
Gelett Burgess |
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Often the hands will solve a mystery that the
intellect has struggled with in vain.
Carl G. Jung
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If you reject the food, ignore the customs,
fear the religion and avoid the people, you might as well stay home.
James Michener on traveling |
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Men
occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves
up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.
Winston Churchill |
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Better
to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious.
B. C. Forbes |
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Four
things can never come back: time past, the spoken word, the sped arrow
and a missed opportunity.
Unknown
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"This
time, like all times, is a very good one if we but know what to do
with it."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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The
love of economy is the root of all virtue.
--George B. Shaw
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"The
true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely
no good."
--Samuel Johnson, lexicographer (1709-1784)
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It
takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone
and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.
--Unknown |
Back
to the Top
An
Easter Story
Jeremy
was born with a twisted body and a slow mind. At the age of 12 he was
still in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. His teacher, Doris Miller,
often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat, drool,
and make grunting noises. At other times, he spoke clearly and distinctly,
as if a spot of light had penetrated the darkness of his brain. Most of
the time, however, Jeremy just irritated his teacher.
One day she called his parents and asked them to come in for a consultation.
As the Forresters entered the empty classroom, Doris said to them, "Jeremy
really belongs in a special school. It isn't fair to him to be with younger
children who don't have learning problems. Why, there is a five year gap
between his age and that of the other students." Mrs. Forrester cried
softly into a tissue, while her husband spoke. "Miss Miller,"
he said, "there is no school of that kind nearby. It would be a terrible
shock for Jeremy if we had to take him out of this school. We know he
really likes it here." Doris sat for a long time after they had left,
staring at the snow outside the window. Its coldness seemed to seep into
her soul. She wanted to sympathize with the Forresters. After all, their
only child had a terminal illness. But it wasn't fair to keep him in her
class. She had 18 other youngsters to teach, and Jeremy was a distraction.
Furthermore, he would never learn to read and write. Why waste any more
time trying? As she pondered the situation, guilt washed over her. Here
I am complaining when my problems are nothing compared to that poor family,
she thought. Lord, please help me to be more patient with Jeremy.
From that day on, she tried hard to ignore Jeremy's noises and his blank
stares. Then one day, he limped to her desk, dragging his bad leg behind
him. "I love you, Miss Miller," he exclaimed, loud enough for
the whole class to hear. The other students snickered, and Doris' face
turned red. She stammered, "Wh--why that's very nice, Jeremy. N--now
please take your seat."
Spring came, and the children talked excitedly about the coming of Easter.
Doris told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the idea of
new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic
egg. "Now," she said to them, "I want you to take this
home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life.
Do you understand?" "Yes, Miss Miller," the children responded
enthusiastically--all except for Jeremy. He listened intently; his eyes
never left her face. He did not even make his usual noises. Had he understood
what she had said about Jesus' death and resurrection? Did he understand
the assignment? Perhaps she should call his parents and explain the project
to them. That evening, Doris' kitchen sink stopped up. She called the
landlord and waited an hour for him to come by and unclog it. After that,
she still had to shop for groceries, iron a blouse, and prepare a vocabulary
test for the next day. She completely forgot about phoning Jeremy's parents.
The next morning, 19 children came to school, laughing and talking as
they placed their eggs in the large wicker basket on Miss Miller's desk.
After they completed their math lesson, it was time to open the eggs.
In the first egg, Doris found a flower. "Oh yes, a flower is certainly
a sign of new life," she said. The next egg contained a plastic butterfly,
which looked very real. Doris held it up. "We all know that a caterpillar
changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. Yes, that's new life, too."
Next, Doris found a rock with moss on it. She explained that moss, too,
showed life.
Then Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty. Surely
it must be Jeremy's she thought, and of course, he did not understand
her instructions. If only she had not forgotten to phone his parents.
Because she did not want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg aside
and reached for another. Suddenly, Jeremy spoke up. "Miss Miller,
aren't you going to talk about my egg?" Flustered, Doris replied,
"But Jeremy, your egg is empty." He looked into her eyes and
said softly, "Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty, too." Time stopped.
When she could speak again, Doris asked him, "Do you know why the
tomb was empty?" "Oh, yes," Jeremy said, "Jesus was
killed and put in there. Then His Father raised Him up." The recess
bell rang. While the children excitedly ran out to the schoolyard, Doris
cried. The cold inside her melted completely away.
Three months later, Jeremy died. Those who paid their respects at the
mortuary were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his casket, all of them
empty.
Back to the Top
Modern
Proverbs
If you're too open
minded, your brains will fall out.
Age is a very high
price to pay for maturity.
Before you criticize
someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry, he'll be
a mile away - and barefoot.
Going to church doesn't
make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you a mechanic.
Artificial intelligence
is no match for natural stupidity.
A clear conscience
is usually the sign of a bad memory.
A closed mouth gathers
no feet.
If you must choose
between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.
My idea of housework
is to sweep the room with a glance.
Not one shred of evidence
supports the notion that life is serious.
It is easier to get
forgiveness than permission.
I have found at my
age going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of my face.
For every action,
there is an equal and opposite government program.
If you look like your
passport picture, you probably need the trip.
Always yield to temptation,
because it may not pass your way again.
Bills travel through
the mail at twice the speed of checks.
A conscience is what
hurts when all your other parts feel so good.
Eat well, stay fit,
die anyway.
Men are from earth.
Women are from earth. Deal with it.
No husband has ever
been shot while doing the dishes.
Back to the Top
For
My Friends
For those tired of the usual "friend"
poems, a touch of truth.
When you are sad,…
I will get you drunk and help you plot revenge against the scum-sucking
bastard who made you sad.
When you are scared,…
I will laugh at you and tease you about it every chance I get.
When you are worried,…
I will tell you how much worse it could be and to quit complaining.
When you are confused...
I will use little words to explain it to your dumb ass.
When you are sick,…
I will hold your hair while you pay homage to the porcelain god.
When you fall...
I will point and laugh at your clumsy ass.
This is my oath…
I pledge till the end.
Why you may ask...
Because you're my friend.
Send to ten of your closest friends and you will win the Lottery.
(Don't believe that last line about the lottery
shit.)
Back to the Top
A
Soldier's Christmas
T'WAS THE
NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND SOON DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD
NIGHT."
This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan. The following
is his request. I think it is reasonable.....
Back to the Top
An
Angel
Once upon
a time there was a child ready to be born.
The child asked God "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow,
but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"
God replied, "Among the many angels, I chose one for you. Your angel
will be waiting for you and will take care of you."
The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't
have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy."
God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you
every day. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."
Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand
when people talk to me if I don't know the language?"
God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet
words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel
will teach you how to speak."
"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"
God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach
you how to pray."
"I've heard that on Earth there are bad men. Who will protect me?"
God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking it's
life."
"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."
God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach
you the way to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you."
At that moment there was much peace in heaven, but voices from Earth could
be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, If I am to leave now,
please tell me my angel's name."
"Her name is not important. You will simply call her MOM."
Back to the Top
Irish
Blessings
May you live as long
as you want,
And never want as long as you live.
May the saddest day of your future be no worse
Than the happiest day of your past.
May you live to be
a hundred years,
With one extra year to repent!
May the Lord keep you in His hand
And never close His fist too tight.
May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.
Walls for the wind,
And a roof for the rain,
And drinks beside the fire -
Laughter to cheer you
And those you love near you,
And all that your heart may desire!
May the roof above
us never fall in,
And may the friends gathered below it never fall out.
May you have warm words on a cold evening,
A full moon on a dark night,
And the road downhill all the way to your door.
May you be in heaven
half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.
May there always be
work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Back to the Top
The
Making of a Woman
By the time the Lord made woman, he was into his Sixth day of working
overtime.
An
Angel appeared and said, "Why are you spending so much time on this
one?"
And
the Lord answered and said, "Have you seen the spec sheet on her?
She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have 200 movable parts,
all replaceable, run on black coffee and leftovers, have a lap that can
hold two children at one time and that disappears when she stands up,
have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart
and have six pairs of hands."
The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. "Six pairs
of hands! No Way!" said the Angel.
The Lord replied, "Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem. It's
the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!"
"And that's just on the standard model?" The Angel asked. The
Lord nodded in agreement. "Yep, one pair of eyes are to see through
the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing even though
she already knows. Another pair in the back of her head are to see what
she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair
are here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child
and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying
a single word."
The Angel tried to stop the Lord. "This is too much work for one
day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."
"But, I can't!" The Lord protested, "I am so close to finishing
this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself
when she is sick. AND can feed a family on a pound of hamburger and can
get a nine year old to stand in the shower."
The Angel moved closer and touched the woman, "But you have made
her so soft, Lord."
"She is soft," Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough.
You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."
"Will she be able to think? ", asked the Angel.
The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be
able to reason, and negotiate."
The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman's
cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak with this model. I told
you that you were trying to put too much into this one."
"That's not a leak." The Lord objected. "That's a tear!"
"What's the tear for?" the Angel asked.
The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow,
her pain, her disappointment, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride."
The Angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of
everything, for women are truly amazing."
Women have strengths that amaze men. They carry children, they carry hardships,
they carry burdens but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when
they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they
are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe
in. They stand up for injustice. They don't take "no" for an
answer, when they believe there is a better solution. They go without
new shoes so their children can have them. They go to the doctor with
a frightened friend. They love unconditionally. They cry when their children
excel and cheer when their friends get awards. Their hearts break when
a friend dies. They have sorrow at the loss of a family member, yet they
are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a
hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all sizes, in all
colors and shapes. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show
how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world
spin !
Women do more than just give birth. They bring joy and hope. They give
compassion and ideals. Women have a lot to say and a lot to give. Pass
it along to your women friends to remind them how amazing they are.
Back to the Top
What
Does Love Mean?
These
are truisms that only kids can express. A group of professional people
posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds "What does love
mean?"
The answers
they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.
"When
my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails
anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his
hands got arthritis too. That's love."- Rebecca - age 8
"When
someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that
your name is safe in their mouth."- Billy - age 4
"Love
is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they
go out and smell each other." - Karl - age 5
"Love
is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries
without making them give you any of theirs."
-Chrissy - age 6
"Love
is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Terri - age 4
"Love
is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before
giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
- Danny - age 7
"Love
is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you
still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and Daddy are like
that. They look gross when they kiss."
-Emily - age 8
"Love
is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents
and listen."- Bobby - age 5
"If
you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you
hate."- Nikka - age 6
"There
are two kinds of love. Our love. God's love. But God makes both kinds
of them."- Jenny - age 4
"Love
is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."
-Noelle - age 7
"Love
is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends
even after they know each other so well." -Tommy - age 6
"During
my piano recital, I was on a stage and scared. I looked at all the people
watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing
that. I wasn't scared anymore."- Cindy - age 8
"My
mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me
to sleep at night."- Clare - Age 5
"Love
is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken." -Elaine - age
5
"Love
is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer
than Robert Redford."- Chris - age 8
"Love
is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."-
Mary Ann - age 4
"I know
my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and
has to go out and buy new ones."- Lauren - age 4
"I let
my big sister pick on me because my Mom says she only picks on me because
she loves me. So I pick on my baby sister because I love her." -
Bethany - age 4
"When
you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come
out of you."- Karen - age 7
"Love
is when mommy sees daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."-
Mark - age 6
"You
really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean
it, you should say it a lot. People forget." -Jessica - age 8
Back
to the Top
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