Nothing gets me more fired up to write than reading a quote that sets my soul on fire! I think I have a touch of attention deficit disorder. One doctor suggested I am just high-functioning. This could be why I love reading quotes and aphorisms – concise, terse, iconic, or memorable expressions of a general truth or principle. Typically passed from generation to generation, these sentences are small but mighty. And they can impact how we feel, think, and approach life. When I sat down to write this issue’s cover story, it seemed only appropriate to incorporate some of my favorite aphorisms. These little affirmations inspire my good days and help give me the strength to pull through my bad days. And as you prepare for the coming new year, I hope they inspire and resonate with you as well!

“I wonder how much of what weighs me down is not mine to carry.” – Aditi 

Reading this reminds me of a story by Caroline Myss in which she counsels people who are in despair and grieving. “I would tell them you had your life focused on something that didn’t belong to you and a path that didn’t belong to you,” she writes. I first read this when I was having what I now realize may have been a series of anxiety attacks. I was very overwhelmed, full of tears, and it took every ounce of my being to hold it together. I realized I had no control. And while I wondered why this was happening to me, this quote grounded me and helped me let it go.

I encourage you to let go of whatever is keeping you heavy and burdened down. Let go of that which doesn’t belong to you. Let go of that grief, hurt, and the idea that somebody else’s journey belongs to you. Trust me, you’ll feel so much better.  

“So many people love you. Don’t focus on those who don’t.” – Hoda Kotb

I think it’s human nature to focus on the two negative comments you hear and forget the 200 positive ones. When I first started Communities Empowered Through Construction, so many people were waiting to see me fail. In my opinion, they were itching for a good cussing out. I can remember someone saying that an organization would never work with me (by the way, that has since changed!). I can recall being in conference rooms with people who were coming for my neck! I walked out of those meetings exhausted but knowing that my little ones were waiting for me to pick them up from school and help shift my focus.

“Let the past go. It was just a lesson. Don’t make it a life sentence.” 

Communities Empowered Through Construction works with so many returning citizens. We work hard to help them to move past their past. 

But carrying around the ghost of prison is what keeps so many stuck. While they are free from prison, they are still doing time in their mind. This is why I think so many don’t show up for their interviews, turn back to drugs, and walk away from good jobs. This was how the FACES of B/ACE feature was born. If others can read stories of redemption and see people who used to be them moving on, it may inspire them to keep pushing. And Construction Cares is the vehicle to support them as they go through the process.