“Times of great calamity and confusion have ever been productive of the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace, and the brightest thunderbolt is elicited from the darkest storm.”
- Charles Caleb Colton
Unfortunate is he who cannot gain a few sincere friends during his life and more unfortunate is the one who has gained them and then lost them (through his deeds).
- Imam Ali (AS)
Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.
- Lance Armstrong
Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it. - Bill Crosby
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People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.
- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
“Be systematically heroic in little unnecessary points, do every day or two something for no other reason than its difficulty, so that, when the hour of need draws nigh, it may find you not unnerved or untrained to stand the test.”
- Daniel Akst
“People often say that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder,’ and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves.”
- Salma Hayek
2011 was such an amazing year.
The year of trips.
Orlando, Miami, Key West, where I met a state trooper named Rene.
NOTL with my extended family.
Ottawa.
New York City.
Camping.
Detroit.
Edmonton and Drumheller, where I walked with the dinosaurs and conquered rocky hills.
Buffalo. And then Buffalo again. And again. And again. And AGAIN. I never want to go there ever again.
Banff and the mountains to end my year surrounded by family and friends.
Calgary to watch the WJHC.
Love is in the air.
My friends got engaged.
I went to weddings. A lot of weddings.
The eldest Ali sister got married.
Life.
The return to a job in healthcare.
Leafs games. Once even with the parentals. Never make the same mistake twice.
Amazing Race: Season Two. Being photographed by a stranger and being asked for an autograph. Great participants, amazing volunteers.
Eating in the dark with some of the best people I know.
Someone brightening my day by singing for me on countless occasions.
Finally learning to drive.
Missing the Toronto earthquake, again.
Saying goodbye to old friends and making new ones along the way.
Amazing days, amazing nights with my family and closest friends. Talking all night and sleeping all day.
Being loved by someone unconditionally.
Dancing. Lots of unplanned, uninhibited, crazy dancing.
Falling in love.
Thankful for an amazing 2011. Love and respect to all those responsible for making it what it was. Looking forward to what the future has in store.
2011 was such an amazing year.
The year of trips.
Orlando, Miami, Key West, where I met a state trooper named Rene.
NOTL with my extended family.
Ottawa.
New York City.
Camping.
Detroit.
Edmonton and Drumheller, where I walked with the dinosaurs and conquered rocky hills.
Buffalo. And then Buffalo again. And again. And again. And AGAIN. I never want to go there ever again.
Banff and the mountains to end my year surrounded by family and friends.
Calgary to watch the WJHC.
Love is in the air.
My friends got engaged.
I went to weddings. A lot of weddings.
The eldest Ali sister got married.
Life.
The return to a job in healthcare.
Leafs games. Once even with the parentals. Never make the same mistake twice.
Amazing Race: Season Two. Being photographed by a stranger and being asked for an autograph. Great participants, amazing volunteers.
Eating in the dark with some of the best people I know.
Someone brightening my day by singing for me on countless occasions.
Finally learning to drive.
Missing the Toronto earthquake, again.
Saying goodbye to old friends and making new ones along the way.
Amazing days, amazing nights with my family and closest friends. Talking all night and sleeping all day,
Being loved by someone unconditionally.
Dancing. Lots of unplanned, uninhibited, crazy dancing.
Falling in love.
Thankful for an amazing 2011. Love and respect to all those responsible for making it what it was. Looking forward to what the future has in store.
