* i believe

My beliefs, although strong, are not all carved in stone. They have evolved over time and I hope will continue to do so. But as a snapshot, I offer a Baker's dozen:

• I believe in unconditional love - not that it's easy, or commonplace, but that it is possible.

• I believe that ordinary people often show extraordinary courage - I don't have to look beyond my own family and friends for evidence of this bravery, and it inspires me to be braver myself.

• I believe that distance, time, and even death do not diminish love - and that my heart can expand to accommodate new love without having to let go of loves I already hold there.

• I believe that friendship is akin to love and that depth of friendship has little to do with how long I've known a person - it's more to do with how much of a kindred spirit I have encountered.

• I believe in kindness and courtesy - that they require relatively little effort and that they're what make it possible for me to co-exist even vaguely pleasantly with six billion others on this little planet.
  

• I believe that there is enough of just about everything to go around and so my bounty does not need to come at the expense of another's, and vice versa - this means I don't have to subscribe to societal norms that pit one against the other in a winner or loser style format.

• I believe that sometimes it is easier to give up or to give in than to go on - but that easier isn't always the best route to take.

• I believe that there is little point in comparing myself to others to establish my worth because there will always be people who have more or fewer skills, more or less honed, or who are better or worse off than I am - I need to be my own yardstick.
  

• I believe it's important to at least strive for integrity in all things - to me this means that what I think and say and do should all reflect the same stance.

• I believe that with rights come responsibilities - to exercise them, and to protect them and those of others who are not able to protect their own. This includes guardianship of the planet.
  

• I believe that I am capable of consciousness and if I manage to exercise it consistently, my life will be enriched - this means I also have to accept exposure to hurtful things that I would sometimes prefer to be unconscious of.

• I believe that variety is the spice of my life - and I embrace new experiences, other ideas, and other people for their differences and even eccentricities. This does not mean I'm always comfortable with change, that I'm an absolute relativist, or that I believe all behaviours can be excused.

• I believe that my experiences have shaped me but that I'm not bound to be defined forever by those experiences - I can choose to learn from them, and even choose just to let them go.
  

All of this, today, I believe.

An extended list might include these things too:

• I believe in the power and use of chocolate as a mood enhancer.
  
• I believe that it's time for something pink to live in my wardrobe.
  
• I believe that food tastes better eaten outdoors or in the company of loved ones.
  
• I believe that someone should declare a standard three day weekend.
  
• I believe that I need more sleep and that I have to make more time for a nap...