Listen carefully to what country people call mother wit. In those homely sayings are couched the collective wisdom of generations.

Mother's life flowed radiant. Flourescent-tipped waves on incoming tides.

Don't let the incidents which take place in life bring you low. And certainly don't whine. You can be brought low, that's OK, but don't be reduced by them. Just say, 'That's life.'

We write for the same reason that we walk, talk, climb mountains or swim the oceans - because we can. We have some impulse within us that makes us want to explain ourselves to other human beings.

The ship of my life may or may not be sailing on calm and amiable seas. The challenging days of my existence may or may not be bright and promising. Stormy or sunny days, glorious or lonely nights, I maintain an attitude of gratitude. If I insist on being pessimistic, there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed.

Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: 'I'm with you kid. Let's go.'

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.