Gentle Words of Encouragement
For all of you out there who are troubled during your journey, let me share something special that someone I admire gave to me during a rough moment in my life. It is a poem written by Tim Murtaugh.
Gentle Words of Encouragement
Spend every day preparing for the next.
As you reach forward with one hand, accept the advice of those who have gone before you, and in the same manner reach back with the other hand to those who follow you; for life is a fragile chain of experiences held together by love. Take pride in being a strong link in that chain. Discipline yourself, but do not be harsh. The pleasures of life are yours to be taken. Share them with others, but always remember that you, too, have earned the right to partake.
Know those who love you; love is the finest of all gifts and is received only to be given. Embrace those who truly love you; for they are few in a lifetime. Then return that love tenfold, radiating it from your heart to fill their lives as sunlight warms the darkest corners of the earth. Love is a journey, not a destination; travel its path daily. Do this and your troubles will be as fleeting as footprints in the sand. When loneliness is your companion and all about you seem to be gone, pause and listen, for the sound of loneliness is silence, and in silence we hear best. Listen well, and your moments of silence will always be broken by the gentle words of encouragement spoken by those of us who love you.
Thank you Mom 
Very beautiful! Thank you for sharing that, Mindy!
You have brightened my day once again!
~B
Beautiful Mindy.
Thanks Mindy
I just stuck the poem on my fridge!
What a great post! Thanks Mindy…..
All of you brighten my day each time that I get to visit this site.
Excellent!!! Thanks for posting this.
Awesome Mindy
Love Dan
thanks! this is nice to read especially since i am going through a very rough patch in my life.
Michelle,
I sincerely wish for you strength and understanding during your struggle.
thanks, Mindy
“I cannot hold up any book and say, ‘Here. This is what I believe.’ I do not know of any church where I would feel at home. But I do believe that what people call God refers to something real… I would even go so far as to say that this God of mine makes demands. To learn, to teach, to engage. To be aware of and respect the world around me. To acknowledge that there are things greater then myself and to be humble in their presence.” — Dan Jackson
I love that quote Mindy. I’m proud to call you my daughter. Someone once said to you that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but they don’t know that it’s you that have taught your Daddy sooooo much and I will always be grateful.
If it weren’t for your open mind, your unconditional love and support I am not sure where I would be at, but I know that where I am at right now is the best place I could ever be. This Bold Grace has taught me so much about who I am and my possibilities. I am just glad that I WANT to share this with others and if they choose to sit with me and drink a beer and even smoke a cigerette while we talk I will only have wonderful stories to share about my own journey and I owe those opportunites to you Dad.