I like to believe I’m an optimist—probably because looking at the bright side of things is tons better and less depressing than being a pessimist.

When you actually reflect upon it, Life is a balancing act.  You know, the old yin versus yang thing.  I’ve always wondered if Buddha truly said all the stuff he is believed to have uttered and/or written. What if it was actually Buddha’s apprentice who wrote some of those words of wisdom.  After all, famous artists had students who mimicked their mentors, then why not wise philosophers?

I would like to share some quotations that grabbed my attention and made me smile and/or reflect.  Some are quotes from amazing people who observed Life with  a few meaningful words;  others who noted the humorous aspects of their work and those who embraced the things important to them.

I’ve always thought I would include this quotation of Buddha’s in one of my mystery stories as it seemed so appropriate:  Three things cannot be long  hidden–the sun, the moon and the truth.

John Q. Tullius had the right idea when he stated:  Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies.   (Yikes, who can dislike chocolate unless he/she has an allergy?)

Buddha shares another thought that holds a lot of truth:  An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.  (uh-huh–gotta finish that book. . .finish that book… finish that book. . .)

With Valentine’s rapidly approaching, I agree with Taylor E. Bennet’s viewpoint:  The way to a woman’s heart is through trust and truth. Well, except mine. Mine is through chocolate.  (Me too, but toss in mini-doughnuts as well. Can’t make it too easy. . .)

While we’re on the topic of “chocolate”, I love these bits from “Unknown Authors” who know that chocolate is the answer to anything:   Chocolate is Nature’s way of making up for Mondays.  And, Stress wouldn’t be so hard to take if it were chocolate covered.  And lastly,  God gave angels wings;  He gave humans chocolate.

Marilyn Monroe was not the “blonde bimbo” she portrayed in a number of her movies and appeared to her Public. Fending for herself at an early age, she developed strong survival skills as well as keen street smarts.  One of her quotes states:  This Life is what you make it. No matter what, you’re going to mess up sometimes–it’s an Universal truth. And this one,  Everyone’s a star and deserves the right to twinkle.

Audrey Hepburn was a classy lady with a ton of goodness and strength in her character. Audrey has been quoted as saying:  People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed. Never throw out anyone.

Showing off his sense of humor, John Glenn,  the astronaut who orbited Earth three times and later became an U.S. senator confessed:  As I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind–every part of this spaceship was supplied by the lowest bidder.

Katherine Hepburn was a wonderful actress and early feminist  who spoke her mind and voiced a number of great quotes as seen in  If you obey all the rules, you’ll miss all the fun.   Or how about  As one goes through Life, one learns that if you don’t paddle your own canoe, you don’t move.  And this one, It’s not what you start in Life, it’s what you finish.

And taking that as my cue to close, I end with Charles M. Schulz, creator of the beloved “Peanuts” comic strip, who had one of his characters voice this thought:  All you need is love. But chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.