A Collection of Notebook Scribbles...

I jot down a lot of little things...when people are talking, when I'm bored, when I'm inspired, or when I need to vent. Every once in awhile I flip back through my books and notice them there, sticking out like sore thumbs. Sometimes I've read something or heard something that moved me to write this or that, and sometimes I've just grabbed for a pen and started spreading ink across the bottom of already crowded pages. Either way, I've decided that I need to put them all in one place. Here are some from this year...

I got called a dragon slayer today, which made me wince. It pains me how off our versions of what I do for a living often are. Anyone can slay a dragon...but try waking up every morning and choosing to give the day, the world, a second chance. Try waking up and falling in love with your life over and over again. That requires way more courage than slaying dragons.

If you're not willing to lose, then you'll do whatever it takes to win, and you become someone you're not.

I have a tough time believing that Jesus is more important than my daughter. I'll worship her and then let's just agree to disagree after that.

I want my daughter to see me taking chances, believing in my job, and trying to be the best person I can possibly be. I want her to see what living really is, and not have to go searching for it for the rest of her life.

I hate repeating myself. I talk to people going through the most profound things, really falling apart, and they hear every word. They can tell me two years later exactly what I said to them. They're paying attention.

Everybody is not always your friend.

My job is a mindless thing. People say, "Wow! How could you do that?" And I say, "How could I not do that?

Working with young kids with special needs before I really did anything else taught me a lot. I look around and see people hurting themselves for absolutely no reason...booze and drugs, beating themselves up in a million different psychological ways... It really bothers me, knowing that these people have so much of what other people will never have and they find no value in that. Some of the best people I've ever known were never really even treated like real people for big chunks of their lives. I chose to stand beside those people really early on, and let them teach me.

I consider myself a gentle person, and that's what I'm most proud of. It's not what I've known my whole life.

New ideas require new facts, I'm certain of that.

Gertrude Stein wrote, "There is no answer, there never was an answer, there'll never be an answer. That's the answer." People sometimes don't like to hear it, but it's the truth.

I don't work with addicts, or drug dealers, or gang members. I work with human beings. Not everyone who commits a crime is a criminal.

You can tell me anything and I'll stand beside you...I'll keep coming back, but don't lie to me. You lie to me once, it's strike one. Like to me twice, it's strike three.

There's no secret. I mostly just let it all happen. I just follow the energy and hope for the best. It's how I sleep at night.

Friendship should be easy. I've got a buddy, Dustin, and we're just friends...that's it. I love the guy, and it never took an ounce of energy.

Be fair, and be nice. Then be yourself. That's all it takes.

They used to say that the world was flat, and everybody believed it. The fact is, we don't know anything for sure.

Speak up for what you believe in and what you feel, or don't, but you have to live with yourself if you don't.