"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could of done them better. The credit belongs to man who is actually in the arena, who face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails with daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt -April 23, 1910
- Man In The Arena
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thomasmatthews- July 7th, 19:47
- The Phoenix
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- thomasmatthews
- July 1st, 2:07
I love the Phoenix
With feathers of gold she flies
Soaring unchained in my mind
Upon a path I did stroll
Blinded by my indifference
The Phoenix I did observe
Flame in her wondrous eye
Illuminated my road
Through the haze, a sight
My inevitable fate
Upon this road I sprinted
To the crossroad where I turned
The Phoenix standing right there
With each other we now stroll
Upon a path lighted so
Enough thanks I cannot tell
Too much love I cannot give
For she rescued me from hell
by Derek
PoemsOnly.com
- An Inspirational Poem
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- thomasmatthews
- June 27th, 1:38
"Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson,or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be possibly your roommate, neighbor, professor, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger), but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some profound way.And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart.
Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be,
life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.
The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.
If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.
Make every day count...
Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you. You can make of your life anything you wish.
Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets.
Most importantly, if you love someone tell them, for you never know what tomorrow may have in store. And learn a lesson in life each day you live."
by Unknown
PoemsOnly.com
- The Quote I've Been Looking for Most of My Life!
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- thomasmatthews
- March 31st, 15:22
"--Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain
