Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, they serve some sort of purpose, to teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be - your roommate, neighbor, professor, long lost friend, lover or even a complete stranger who, when you lock eyes with them, you know that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way. 

    And sometimes things happen to you and at the time they may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles, you would have never realized your potential, strength, will power or heart. Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity - all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, if they be events, illnesses or relationships, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. Safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless. 

    The people you meet who affect your life and the successes and downfalls you experience - they are the ones who create who you are. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. Those lessons are the hardest and probably the most important ones. 

    If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart to. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and opening your heart and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them. 

    Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again. 

    Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you either. You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it. 

    "People are like tea bags - you have to put them in hot water before you know how strong they are." 

    有時，一些人一闖入你的生活你便知道他們本就想這么做，其中有著一定的目的－－或給你一個教訓，或幫助你明白你是誰或你要成為誰。你永遠也不知道這些人會是誰，是你的舍友、鄰居、教授、久違的朋友、愛人，甚或是一個完全的陌生人。當你與他們四目相對，你便知道他們會以某種深遠的方式影響你的生活。

    有時，一些事情發生了，它們看上去是那么可怕、痛苦和不公；但細想一下你就會明白，如果沒有去努力克服這些難題，你將永遠也不會知道自己的潛能、力量、意志力和內心。任何事情的發生都是有原因的，沒有一件事是偶然發生的或是因了某種好運或厄運發生的。疾病、傷害、愛、真正的偉大的消逝和完全的愚蠢??所有這一切的發生都是對你的精神極限的考驗。不管這考驗是一些事件、疾病或是某種關系，沒有了它們，生活都將只剩下陽光大道，安穩、舒適，但卻單調、沒有意義，不會通往任何地方。 

    你遇到的那些影響你的生活的人和你所經歷的成功或失敗，都會讓你看清自己。即使是不好的經歷，也能讓你從中得到教訓。這些教訓是最嚴酷的，但也可能是最重要的。　 

    如果有人傷害了你、背叛了你、或讓你心碎，原諒他們吧，因為他們幫助你懂得了什么是信任，也讓你明白了對那些你敞開心扉交往的人保持謹慎的重要性。如果有人愛你，那么也無條件地愛他們吧，不光因為他們愛你，也因為他們教會了你如何去愛，如何打開心扉、張開眼睛去感受那些沒有他們你便不能看到或感受到的世間的種種。 

    讓每一天都過得有意義吧。享受生命中的每一刻，盡你所能從中汲取，因為以后你可能沒有機會再有同樣經歷。

    與那些你從沒打過招呼的人互相交談聆聽吧，讓自己沐浴愛河吧，自由地沖破藩籬，讓你的眼界更加高遠吧。抬起你的頭，因為你有權利這樣做。相信自己，告訴自己你很了不起，因為如果連你自己都不相信自己，別人又怎能相信你？你能夠按自己的意愿生活。去創造出自己的生活，然后走出來享受生活吧。