I BELIEVE A perfectly IMPERFECT, MESSY, AWE-FILLED, HEART-WRENCHING, heart opening, HUMAN JOURNEY IS IN STORE FOR US ALL... LIKE IT OR NOT.  THAT WE WILL ALL LIVE OUR DAYS KNOWING THAT THE COOKIE JAR OF SUNDAY AFTERNOONS IS EMPTYING bite by bite, bit by bit.  THAT WE WILL ALL RESIST AND ultimately SURRENDER, WEEP AND LAUGH, LISTEN AND TALK, BELIEVE AND DENY, WAIT AND ACT, stay and flee, NOTICE AND NUMB, FEEL AND DISTRACT, TRUST AND FEAR, SEPARATE AND CONNECT. I BELIEVE WE WILL MAKE TINY CHOICES, EVERY SECOND, EVERY HOUR, EVERY DAY THAT ADD UP TO OUR LIVES AND OUR LEGACIES. 

I BELIEVE THAT I CAN CHANGE MY LENS, CHOOSE WHAT TO FOCUS ON, CAPTURE glimpses of TRUTH AND CREATE IT.  Make it with brave pictures, songs, strokes and words. I BELIEVE IN BEAUTY -- THE BEAUTY OF TRUE MOMENTS, true connections, true feelings, just as they are. I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE EARN THE LINES ON THEIR FACES.  THAT STORIES LIVE IN THOSE LINES AND RIVERS OF WISDOM FLOW THROUGH THEM.  I believe IN LIVING AND DYING. I BELIEVE IN TRUST AND MAKING ROOM FOR IT ALL, WELCOMING ALL OF ME HOME...THE LIAR, THE DRINKER, THE NARCISSIST, THE NEEDER, THE PERFORMER, THE PERFECTIONIST, THE VICTIM, THE BRAGGART, THE JUDGER, THE CYNIC, THE GRASPER, THE HIDER. I BELIEVE WHEN I WELCOME ALL OF ME HOME, let MY DEFENSES and justifications fall away, i can FIND AND FOLLOW THE MAP THAT EXISTS INSIDE OF ONLY ME. NOTHING TO PROVE OR RUN FROM. JUST MY ANIMAL BODY, THE MAP INSIDE, MY COMPASS, ME FINDING MY OWN WAY HOME.  FINDING MY WAY TO TRUE CONNECTION AND BELONGING.

I BELIEVE IN FINDING TRUST AND FAITH.  I BELIEVE IN GOING WITH THE FLOW and TAKING THE WHEEL. I BELIEVE THAT LIFE WILL ALWAYS GUIDE ME BACK, AGAIN AND AGAIN TO MY OWN MAP - THE MAP INSIDE (WHETHER I LIKE IT OR NOT). I BELIEVE THAT LIFE WILL TUMBLE ME LIKE A ROCK IN THE RIVER.  THAT MY EDGES WILL SOMETIMES BE WORN SLOWLY,  BUT SOMETIMES THEY WILL BE TORN OFF WITH STUNNING AND STARTLING EFFICIENCY.  I BELIEVE THAT THE PAIN WILL ENGULF ME, AND THAT IT WILL REMIND ME OF MY HEART, THE COMPASS OF MY BODY, MY CAPACITY TO LOVE, MY HUMANITY, MY "...ONE WILD AND PRECIOUS LIFE...".

I BELIEVE IN CULTIVATING THE COURAGE AND SELF-COMPASSION TO SEE MYSELF CLEARLY WHEN I CAN, TO NOTICE TENDERLY WHERE I AM GETTING IN MY OWN WAY, WHERE I AM BLAMING OR JUSTIFYING, WHERE I AM BUILDING WALLS AROUND MYSELF, AND TO KEEP MY EYES AND HEART OPEN FOR THE CRACK..."THAT THERE IS A CRACK.  A CRACK IN EVERYTHING.  THAT IS HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN."** 

I BELIEVE THAT CHANGE IS NOT ONLY INEVITABLE NUT IMPERATIVE, THAT TRUTH MIGHT SEAR, OR EVEN SET FIRES,  BUT IT DOES INDEED TASTE LIKE FREEDOM.  I BELIEVE IN FALLING TO MY KNEES.  I BELIEVE IN FRIENDS THAT WILL SCRAPE ME UP, WRAP ME UP IN A BLANKET AND THEN LAUGH AND CRY THEIR ASSES OFF WITH ME.  I BELIEVE IN FRIENDS THAT ARE WILLING AND TRYING TO BE KNOWN FULLY, FRIENDS THAT KNOW ME AND LOVE ME ANYWAY.  I BELIEVE IN CELEBRATING OUR SOARS AND SPARKLES, SETTING WILD DREAMS LOOSE UPON THE WORLD, ROARING EVEN WHEN OUR VOICES CRACK, TENDERNESSES AND SHAMES LAID INTO SOFT HANDS.  

I BELIEVE IN MISFITS AND OUTLIERS, RULE BREAKERS AND CHANGE MAKERS. I BELIEVE IN REMEMBERING THAT THERE ARE NO REAL RULES, THAT GROWN-UPS ARE ALL JUST LITTLE FUCKERS WEARING WEIRD COSTUMES AND TAKING THEMSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY. THAT WE HAVE MADE ALL OF THIS UP.  

I BELIEVE IN HELPING WHEN I CAN, and even better, when I can't.  I BELIEVE THAT PAYING ATTENTION TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN MYSELF IS ACTUALLY MEDICINE.  I BELIEVE THAT SELF-HELP CAN BE MIND FUCKING AND THAT SECOND HAND SLOGANS ARE OVER-SOLD.  I BELIEVE IN HARD EARNED WISDOM, IN LOVE, AND IN REMEMBERING THAT EVERY ONE OF US IS A PERFECTLY UNIQUE RAINBOW COLORED UNICORN BUT NOT ONE AMONG US IS MORE SPECIAL THAN ANOTHER.  I BELIEVE IN anyone who stands and walks in the light of fairness and equality. I BELIEVE IN HUMILITY.  IN WONDERING WHAT IT IS LIKE IN SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES. I believe in the power of good people, LOCKING ARMS AND DOING SOMETHING.  I BELIEVE IN PEOPLE WHO SMILE AT ME FOR NO REASON. I BELIEVE IN PEOPLE WHO ARE CHANGING THE WORLD ONE CURIOSITY, ONE CREATION, ONE KINDNESS AT A TIME. 

I BELIEVE IN THE UNDERDOG. I BELIEVE IN "THE RAGING FLOWER IN THE BRICKYARD."*

I BELIEVE SUCCESS IS ALLOWING, CONNECTING, DEEPLY LOVING, DEEPLY FEELING,  LETTING YOURSELF BE SEEN AND BEING ABLE TO FIND YOUR WAY HOME.

SO...BE MESSY.  BE HONEST. BE WILLING. BE TENDER. BE WILD.  BE EVERYTHING. BE AFRAID AND TAKE THE TURTLE STEP ANYWAY... ONE STEP, ONE WORD, ONE BREATH, ONE SONG, ONE KINDNESS AT A TIME.

I BELIEVE, LIFE ITSELF IS A RITE OF PASSAGE DESIGNED TO GUIDE US BACK TO CENTER, TO CHALLENGE US UNTIL WE ALIGN, TO NUDGE US BACK INTO HARMONY,  TO CALL US HOME.  I BELIEVE AS RUMI SAYS, THAT "WE ARE ALL JUST WALKING EACH OTHER HOME."

I BELIEVE IN HOME.