"A penny for your thoughts"

“Joy is a decision, a really brave one, about how you’re going to respond to life.”

“If you look back only at your mistakes, you’d think you were an idiot. If you look back only at your wiser choices, you’d think you were infallible. But if you look back on everything, you realize you’re a human being who has been through a lot, grown a lot, is always still learning, and improving as time goes by.”

“If people refuse to look at you in a new light and they can only see you for what you were, only see you for the mistakes you’ve made, if they don’t realize that you are not your mistakes, then they have to go.”

“Am I weak?” she asked. “Because no matter how much I wanted to, I can’t just let the tears fall down. No matter how much my heart is aching, I can’t just let it all out.” she sighed and continued, “Am I weak? No? Yes? Or maybe…” she paused because she doesn’t want to admit it. She doesn’t want to make it sound so real. But then, she finally said, “…I’m just emotionally tired.”