GUEST POST: Book Crazy Jenn

The Book Vixen is pleased to welcome Book Crazy Jenn to the blog today.

A mantra or a motto?

Some people live by little quotes, simple truths or mantra's if you will. Nothing too complex; a simple line or two to give there life a purpose, to try to become better person...

Do you?

Is it a line you heard someone say once that struck a cord with you? Maybe you, like me, read yours in a book? No matter where it came from, if it's powerful enough to you, you somehow allow it to live inside of you, breed and become part of who you are – without even thinking about it, you’re repeating it during a particularly rough day or maybe during a rough week.

Sometimes, depending on who you are I guess, the quote begins to take on a life of its own; it transforms into something different depending on your needs, it wields its way into your heart, your soul...transforming you, and though it's just a quote, it somehow becomes something tangible that your heart can feel, your brain can wrap itself around.

I found my mantra within the pages of a particularly beautiful book, with its simple truths. The Light of Asteria captured a part of me, and has never let go.

You see, all of my life I have struggled with forgiveness; most of the time not even realizing it. Forgiveness for myself, as well as those around me, not even because of wrongs I have suffered, but more because people are never exactly what you need them to be, even yourself.

Honestly, get up, go look in the mirror....

Can you say, while looking at yourself that you are ALWAYS the person you want to be, that you always turn the other cheek, that you always offer a nice smile and a thank you, or maybe that you never tell a lie?

Now, I did not write this to get you thinking all bad about yourselves, we all do this – we all are not perfect, it's in our imperfections that we become ourselves, it's in those little imperfections that we become perfect – our perfect selves.

But, because of my lack of knowing how to forgive, I often felt, unloved – you see NO ONE could live up to the standards I set, not even me...and when someone failed, I struggled with forgiving them.

But because of a work of fiction, a little seemingly innocent book, I have a mantra, a motto that I wake up and repeat to myself...

“Appreciate what they can give, forgive them for what they cannot.”

For me, though the book is so much bigger than this small little quote, and holds with in it many, many more truths – which are also very important to me, this one simple line, has become a life line for me...pulling me to remember, that no one can live up to what I might hope they can or even what I expect from them, even myself...and somehow I must learn to not only accept and appreciate what others can give me...but also somehow what I am also able to offer the world.

Learning to appreciate what you can give the world, and forgiving yourself for what you can't is a powerful lesson...that I am still just learning! And learning to offer forgiveness for those things others in your life that you love can't give you, has become a daily struggle for me...but it's in the struggles that life and love becomes most meaningful...so, I will never give up!

What's your mantra, or motto – do you have one? If so, did it come from a book or somewhere different?

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