Time is ticking. I hear the clock.

My mind won’t rest. It just won’t stop.

I close my eyes. I even count sheep.

My brain won’t quiet. The race won’t cease.

Eyelids heavy, but my heartbeat’s quick.

I start to dream; yet that’s the mind’s trick.

This woman is beauty, the love of my life.

None can compare to this soul glowing so bright.

In my dream she walked toward me, smile on her face.

Our future I see, as she neared with such grace.

Alas, this is where the trickster appeared.

The mask of a dream; now became a nightmare.

Her shoulder brushed mine, as she passed with a glance.

My yearning apparent, she let out a laugh.

She went towards a man in the back of the room.

Her kiss was for him, my heart filled with doom.

This woman in dream; I call her best friend.

Her lips were once mine, now some other man’s.

At this point I woke, my brow dripping with sweat.

Crying and pleading to the shadows in bed.

To you, my dear friend, heed this advice.

Take care of your love, as the church is by Christ.

Make sure that she never feels lonely or blue.

Protect her with passion and cherish her too.

Time is ticking. Can you hear the clock?

Is your mind resting? Will it indeed stop?

Close your eyes, count your sheep.

Pray your brain will quiet. That your blessings won’t cease.

I tell you I love you, you look and you sigh.

I look at you vexed, you then ask of me, “why?”

This question perplexes me, “How can she not know?”

I take care while I search for the words that will show.

Your blue eyes are beautiful so crystal and clear,

Your mouth tastes of strawberries so sweet through the year.

Your hair smells of flowers a bouquet newly cut,

Your smile opens hearts never to shut.

As my thoughts go further into the love that we share,

I love you much deeper than eyes, mouth, smile and hair.

Yes, your body is elegant, each curve so precise,

Your skin is so smooth, to look upon you so nice.

But there was much more to this love from the start,

This woman, best friend, she is truly my heart.

So into my soul I reach down once more,

To give her the “why?” that questions her core.

I saw with my eyes the beauty you are,

That beauty inside you marked with a scar.

A light glimmering brightly, even through tears,

You showed me your heart, and your troublesome years.

Your heart filled with pain, with hurt and with fear,

Even those being present the light did appear.

More than the scars, than the darkness and doubt,

Love, joy, and hope were strongest and stout.

In the midst of your storm, I saw something so rare,

A woman so passionate, my heart stopped and stared.

Emotional beauty in it’s most vulnerable state,

Yet stronger than any I had known to this date.

It would be easy to say that I fell for your smile,

Your eyes or your hair, your kisses, your style.

All of those things bring men to their knees,

But something more vital my love for you sees.

I see a woman so fragile, yet stronger than all,

A woman that loves both the great and the small.

Someone that gives until nothing is left,

A woman deserving of God’s very best.

With one single breath, and barely a word

You lift me up higher as if on wings of a bird.

For all that you are, I know only this,

To love you is joy, to be loved by you is bliss.

There aren’t enough words to explain how I feel.

My heart is all yours, you have no need to steal.

In this moment it hits me like hammer to nail,

“Why” I love you is YOU, and that never will fail.

It's 99 degrees outside and you are feeling cold.  So I'll wrap my arms around you though I'm sweating through my toes.  

You say, "I'd like an ice water, but please ma'am hold the ice." It's silly things that make me smile, and that one had no price.

I'm looking at a menu and have no clue of what to eat.  You say, "We'll do a smorgasbord, then split it what a treat!"

You say you are emotional, and maybe this is true. Yet in this lies your beauty, and your heart is what shines though.

Yes, there are times we argue, and fiercely disagree. But through those storms our love grows strong molding us into a "we".

Devoted daughter, loving mom, a nurse beyond compare. Best friend is what I call you and our love I wish to share.

It was not I, nor was it you, who brought us to this place. But God above who guided us and He will set the pace.

You are the one, my perfect match, and this I know for sure. It is my goal to cherish you, and protect your heart so pure.

Though we could not see the outcome, as God lead us all our days.  He sent me you, to love complete, forever and always.

Failure is viewed by many as a negative. That said, I choose to look at failure as an opportunity and a positive. An opportunity to learn and take another step onward and upward. Many of the successes in life are born from failure. Did you just pop up and start riding your bike, or did you have to fall a couple times before you got going? Pretty sure your parents would tell you that you fell quite a few times before learning to walk. Shoot, I still don't spell a ton of words right, but I've been speaking the English language for years!

I think you see my point. You try, you fail, you learn, you succeed. It's the process. Sometimes you're not going to get the result right away, it may be hard, and it's going to take some patience in this "instant gratification" world we live in. But keep going, don't give up! Failure is a springboard to you realizing your potential and achieving the goals and success you desire! Good luck all...and fail stupendously!!!!

“Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.”