“Our Obligations are... to smile when happy; to give meaning to this life; to try to give a little more than we have taken; to honor our Father for his kindness; to not ignore those suffering or in need; and to try to make this world a slightly better place before we leave it.”

“Human kindness is totally unfair. We don't live in a caring or generous world, yet we try to be kind and caring to others. We know the world is out to burn us, and it gets us in anyway it can. I'm not a fool. But still, we try not to burn each other. We are kind people in an unkind world. How do you pretend you don't know about something, after you see it? How do you act like you don't need something, when you are hurting? How do you even the score and walk off a with a clean conscience? You can't! Our only real choice is kindness.”

“Our main problem is deciding how to spend this one and only precious life that we have been gifted... Shall we spend it trying to look good - trying to create the illusion of being better, stronger or smarter than others, or of having power and control over people and life's circumstances? Or shall we let go and humble ourselves - so we can truly taste life, enjoy it, share it, own it and fully appreciate it? Its a very personal choice. Let's choose wisely!”

“FORBIDDENPain without learning is forbidden,waking up one day not knowing what to do,being afraid of your memories.It is forbidden not to smile at problems, not to fight for what you want,to abandon all because of fears,not to realize your dreams.It is forbidden not to show your love,to be ashamed of your tears,to not laugh with children,to make someone else pay your debts, bad humor.It is forbidden to forget your friends,to not try to understand why they live far away,to treat people as disposable,to call them only when you need them.It is forbidden to not be yourself in front of others,pretending around people you don’t care about,trying to be funny just so you'll be remembered,to forget about all the people who love you.It is forbidden not to do things for yourself,to be afraid of life and its commitments,to not to live each day as if it were your last.It forbidden to take someone out without having fun,to forget their eyes, their laugh,to not respect love even if it is past,just because your paths have stopped crossing,to forget your past and only live in the moment.It is forbidden not to try to understand people,to think that other’s lives are worth more than yours,to not know that each one of us has our own way and our own happiness.It is forbidden not create your own story,to have no time for people who need you,to not understand what life gives to you, and that it can also be taken away.It is forbidden not find your happiness,to not live your life with a positive attitude,to not think we can do better and be better,to feel that without you, this world would still be the same...”

“When I have to choose between being right or being kind, I always try to make the choice that helps us grow into better people.”

“Each of us, has inside of us, a basic decency and goodness. If we listen to it and act on it, we can give a great deal of what it is the world needs most. It's not complicated but it takes courage. It takes courage to listen to our own goodness and act on it.”

“THE SHEEPDOGSMost humans truly are like sheepWanting nothing more than peace to keepTo graze, grow fat and raise their young,Sweet taste of clover on the tongue.Their lives serene upon Life’s farm,They sense no threat nor fear no harm.On verdant meadows, they forage freeWith naught to fear, with naught to flee.They pay their sheepdogs little heedFor there is no threat; there is no need.To the flock, sheepdog’s are mysteries,Roaming watchful round the peripheries.These fang-toothed creatures bark, they roarWith the fetid reek of the carnivore,Too like the wolf of legends told,To be amongst our docile fold.Who needs sheepdogs? What good are they?They have no use, not in this day.Lock them away, out of our sightWe have no need of their fierce might.But sudden in their midst a beastHas come to kill, has come to feastThe wolves attack; they give no warningUpon that calm September morningThey slash and kill with frenzied gleeTheir passive helpless enemyWho had no clue the wolves were thereFar roaming from their Eastern lair.Then from the carnage, from the rout,Comes the cry, “Turn the sheepdogs out!”Thus is our nature but too our plightTo keep our dogs on leashes tightAnd live a life of illusive blissHearing not the beast, his growl, his hiss.Until he has us by the throat,We pay no heed; we take no note.Not until he strikes us at our coreWill we unleash the Dogs of WarOnly having felt the wolf pack’s wrathDo we loose the sheepdogs on its path.And the wolves will learn what we’ve shown before;We love our sheep,we Dogs of War.Russ Vaughn2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment101st Airborne DivisionVietnam 65-66”