Stand beneath the moon and be still for a while. Breathe in the night air...

   Ask yourself, what are you grateful for today and in your life?

   Push the bullshit and negativity aside. Focus only on the positive for the moment and take it in...

   Sometimes we let the negativity override the good. We get lost in what isn't or hasn't gone right instead of what has. We lose our peace that way. We lose ourselves.

   We're human, it happens, but challenges are essential for growth. There is no shame in downfalls and there is no pride of goating egos in our ups. Our ups are to be looked with appreciation and gratitude. Our downs are to be looked at as building strength and learning.

   Appreciate the downs as much as the ups because it shapes us into who we are today. And by shaping, the outcome of your being is up to you. You can either let life turn you hard or you can let life inspire you, motivate you to grow.

   I saw a homeless man earlier today and it broke my heart how people just passed him by like he was invisible and others looked at him with cringed disgusted faces at him. It's not the first time, I've seen it many times before, but it angered me too. No one knew this man's story, yet they judged him by his appearance, they judged him without knowing his character. You never know, he could be an asshole, but he could also be a good person who's facing hard times. That's the thing, you don't know. 

   That's the ugliness in this world, you look at someone and judge them based on what they look like. And we've all done it. I'm not gonna lie, I've done it and you're lying if you say you haven't. I remember one time looking at this lady dressed in fancy clothes, make up and hair looked to be done by a professional and instantly thought she must be one of those snooty bitches until I had a conversation with her and realized she was a kind lady who's husband just died, her daughter not long after and she was raising her grandson on her own on retirement money.

   We judge before we even know the person and that's fucked up. 

   Learn to look beyond the exterior, have the compassion and sight of a blind man, look within.

   I may be wrong on this, so don't come at me for it, but do you ever think about how a blind man or woman falls in love? They may feel shapes of another with their hands, but they don't see with they eyes, the see with their hearts. They listen through conversations, listen to the tone and character in the other's voice and fall in love from there.

   Makes me think about aging, getting older. So many people want to try to look young forever instead of aging gracefully. Of course you want to keep yourself presentable, have good hygiene and that sorts, but aging is beautiful, it's life, it's living. 

You ever look at an old person full of wrinkles and gray/white hair and just say, "wow", I wonder their history, I wonder their courage through challenges and where they come from in life. 

I'll see an old couple walking hand in hand and I find it more beautiful than seeing young people walking hand in hand because those who've lived a century or more of love have no doubt been through it all, the ups, the downs and yet still look deeply in love as if the greatest test of time couldn't break them.

   I just find stuff like that not only beautiful but inspiring.

   I find life inspiring, people and nature. Although I'm not much for crowds and I'm more introverted, I'm more of an observer and a listener. I find you can get to know people far better that way and I enjoy listening, truly listening.

   The moon is beautiful tonight, a growing crescent and the stars shining. It's a bit cold out, but it's nice.

   I appreciate life and the people I've met and the people who've entered my life over the past year who have become dear to my heart. 

Although this year has been full on shit, those people have brought me so much joy and love that no matter how shitty this year has been, they've made it beautiful and I'm so incredibly grateful for them. 

   Like the moon, there is always light in the darkness, you just have to remember that it's not in the material things, not in the place you are or the places you go or have been, but in the love, kindness and friendships along the way and in your life.

   Good night world, I hope you smile tonight...