- Choosing love means always trusting in your heart that love will be returned.
- You can approach the world via one of two paths: love, which is fulfilling, or fear, which is draining.
- Once you choose love, stick with it. Don’t let anyone or anything change you.
- Smile first and forever without concern for the response you might receive.
- It’s true that you can get hurt if you trust people, but not as badly as you would be hurt if you didn’t trust anyone.
- People are good, regardless of their level of love or fear.
- Be kind to all living beings. We are all connected.
- Always make the first move. It gives people with love a beacon to find their way into your life.
- Spend time with people who feel good about themselves, who make you feel good, and who live their lives in love.
Your Dad’s Lesson:
I had always said people were good, because I knew that was the most politically correct view to hold. However, in reality I subconsciously questioned that viewpoint. And just in case I was right, I created a controlled landscape that protected me from people. Your Poppy could see what I was doing, and throughout my life he tried to teach me how to choose love over fear, not just by telling me, but by doing it. I watched for years as he trusted completely, embraced everyone unconditionally, and gave so much more than he received (my opinion at the time). He lived his life in what I thought was unpredictable territory, but in reality it was the area with all the color. His continual effort to epitomize love, combined with the many people, sometimes with tears in their eyes, who pulled me aside to tell me how truly good he was, gave me enough time and context to find my way. Take the leap of faith and live without fear, and in love. I know the path is occasionally bumpy, but I promise to be an example . . . in the likeness of your Poppy.
