POINTS TO PONDER LI
From Reader's Digest

Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are and what they ought to be.
William Hazlitt
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   While it takes courage to achieve greatness, it takes more courage to find fulfillment in being ordinary. There are no managers or agents to pave the way. Instead, we are on individual quests for what is ultimately satisfying in life.
   Every now and then, those quests produce quite a surprise. For the joys that last have little relationship to achievement, to standing one step higher on the victory platform. The sun rises and sets in glorious color over every square inch of the earth, in full view of every living creature. You don't have to jump higher than anyone else to see it.
   What is the adventure in being ordinary? It is daring to love just for the pleasure of giving love away. It is venturing to give new life and to nurture it to maturity. It is working hard for the pure joy of being tired at the end of the day. It is caring and sharing and giving and loving, because we trust our ordinary lives in the hands of an extraordinary God.
   There are no Oscars or medals awarded for any of these pursuits. But then, no piece of gold or bronze statuette can sum up their worth.
Marilyn Thomsen