Bratty Girl

People by their nature are always on the lookout for intruders. Trying to prevent those on the outside from getting in. But there will always be those who force their way into our lives, just as there will be those who we invite in. But the most troubling of all, will be the one's who stand on the outside looking in. The one's we never truly get to know.

Competition, it means different things to different people. But whether it’s a friendly rivalry...or a fight to the death...the end result is the same. There will be winners...and there will be losers. Of course, the trick is to know which battles to fight. You see, no victory comes without a price.

Every storm brings with it hope that somehow by morning everything will be made clean again, and even the most troubling stains would have disappeared like the doubts over his innocents, or the consequence of his mistake, like the scars of his betrayal or the memory of his kiss. So we wait for the storm to pass, hoping for the best even though we know in our hearts some stains are so indelible nothing can wash them away.

Yes, each new day in suburbia brings with it a new set of lies. The worst are the ones we tell ourselves right before we fall asleep. We whisper them in the dark, telling ourselves we're happy, or that he's happy. That we can change, or that he will change his mind. We persuade ourselves that we can live with our sins, or that we can live without him. Yes, each night before we fall asleep we lie to ourselves in a desperate, desperate hope that come morning -- it will all be true.

Have you met the perfect couple? The two soul mates whose love never dies? The two lovers whose relationship is never threatened. The husband and wife who trust each other completely. If you haven't met the perfect couple, let me introduce you. They stand atop a layer of butter cream frosting. The secret of their success? Well, for starters, they don't have to look at each other.

Brides are sensitive creatures. And no one knows this better than the bridesmaids who have to deal with them. But the one area where bridesmaids' tact is most required involves the dress she's required to wear. Yes, a bridesmaid can question many of the bride's choices, but the groom isn't one of them.

The art of sabotage. It's practiced every day in the suburbs. Sometimes it takes the form of a Bundt cake offered to a friend who's on a diet. Other times, it's a cable cut just as a husband's friends arrive to watch the big game. And there's always that anonymous phone call to the city zoning department. Yes, in Suburbia, everyone you meet is a potential saboteur. Absolutely everyone. Yes, the art of sabotage. It's practiced every day in the suburbs.

We all carry something with us. Of course, it's nice if we travel with someone who can help lighten the load. But usually, it's easier to just drop what we've been carrying so we can get home that much sooner assuming, of course, there will be someone there to greet us when we arrive. Why do we clutch at this baggage, even when we're desperate to move on? Because we all know there's a chance we might let go too soon.

There's a reason people can't wait for Christmas, and it has little to do with family reunions or curling up with a cup of eggnog or that unexpected kiss beneath the mistletoe or receiving a present from that special someone. No, people look forward to Christmas because they know it's a time for miracles.

Each new day in suburbia brings with it a new set of lies. The worst are the ones we tell ourselves right before we fall asleep. We whisper them in the dark, telling ourselves we're happy, or that he's happy. That we can change, or that he will change his mind. We persuade ourselves that we can live with our sins, or that we can live without him. Yes, each night before we fall asleep we lie to ourselves in a desperate, desperate hope that come morning - it will all be true.

We know dangerous men walk among us. What we can't be sure of is who they are or where they hide. So the most we can offer any stranger is reasonable doubt. But once the doubt is gone, people are anything but reasonable.

Every morality play has its cast of characters. There is always an innocent victim...a deceitful villain...a prosecutor who seeks the truth...a magistrate that dispenses justice...and a lawyer who charges too much.

Trust is a fragile thing. Once earned, it affords us tremendous freedom. But once trust is lost, it can be impossible to recover. Of course the truth is, we never know who we can trust. Those we're closest to can betray us. And total strangers can come to our rescue. In the end, most people decide to trust only themselves. It really is the simplest way to keep from getting burned.

Temptation comes to all of us. Whether or not we succumb depends on our ability to recognize its disguise. Sometimes it arrives in the form of an old flame, flickering back to life. Or a new friend who could end up being so much more. Or a young child who awakens feelings we didn't know we had. And so we give in to temptation, all the while knowing come morning, we'll have to suffer the consequences.

We've all done something in our lives we're ashamed of. Some of us have fallen for the wrong man. Some have let go of the right woman. There are those who have humiliated their parents and those who have failed their children. Yes, we've all made mistakes that diminish us and those we love. But there is redemption if we try to learn from those mistakes and grow.

There is a prayer intended to give strength to people faced with circumstances they don’t want to accept. The power of the prayer comes from it's insight into human nature. Because so many of us rage against the hand that life has dealt us. Because so many of us are cowardly. And afraid to stand up for what is right. Because so many of us give into despair when faced with an impossible choice. The good news for those who utter these words is that God will hear you and answer your prayer. The bad news is that sometimes the answer is no.

When the truth is ugly, people try to keep it hidden, because they know if revealed, the damage it will do. So they conceal it within sturdy walls or they place it behind closed doors or they obscure it with clever disguises but truth, no matter how ugly, always emerges. And someone we care about always ends up getting hurt. And someone else will revel in their pain and that's the ugliest truth of all.

It’s a shocking moment for each of us. That moment we realize we are all alone in this world. The family we take for granted could one day abandon us. The husband we trust so implicitly might betray us. The daughter we love so deeply perhaps won’t return to us. And then we could end up all by ourselves. Of course, some see great value in going it alone.

Yes, every little girl dreams of a big white wedding. But some dreams just don’t come true.

Human beings are designed for many things. Loneliness isn't one of them.

Yes, sooner or later we must all grow up. No one knows this better than the young.

The search for power begins when we're quite young. As children, we're taught that the power of good triumphs over the power of evil. But as we get older, we realize that nothing is ever that simple. Traces of evil always remain.

It's not enough to want to the truth. You must know where to look for it. And the truth is elusive, because it knows where to hide

Cameras are simple tools designed to capture images. Images that tell us more about ourselves than we realize. They remind us of the long journey we’ve taken. The loved ones who traveled alongside of us. Those we lost along the way. And those waiting for us on the road ahead.

Yes, cameras are tools designed to capture images. But in truth, they can capture so much more. They can uncover hidden longing of men who should no longer care. They can reveal the extraordinary secrets of the most ordinary marriages. Most amazing of all, cameras can quietly and clearly reveal to us our dreams. Dreams we didn't even know we had.

Once they’ve suffered a miscarriage, some women sit alone in the dark for hours. They refuse to go out in the light of day, afraid to face the possibility that life will go on. They hold onto reminders of their unborn child and dream of what might have been. Yes, this is how some women react when they've suffered such a loss.

Good guys wear white hats and bad guys wear black. This is how children distinguish between good and evil. But they soon learn that bad guys always don't look so bad. And sometimes they seem downright friendly. That is until you get to know them a little bit better.

It's a story as old as time itself - the return of the prodigal son. And no matter how many times it's repeated or how the details might vary, or how the names might change, the story always ends the same way, in the tender embrace of a loving father.

Kisses are such simple things, we hardly notice them. But if we paid more attention, we'd see that each kiss conveys a meaning all its own. For example, some can say, ‘I'm so happy to see you.’ Or, ‘I didn't realize you'd be here.’ Or ‘honey, it's time to stop drinking.’ The trick is in knowing how to tell the difference.

The act itself never varies. But each kiss carries with it a meaning all its own. It can convey a husband's eternal devotion. Or a wife's enormous regret. It can symbolize a mother's growing concern. Or a lover's growing passion. But whatever its meaning, each kiss reflects a basic human need. The need to connect to another human being. This desire is so strong it's always amazing when some people don’t understand it.

Illness can take on many forms. Those of the body are easy to treat. Much more difficult are the hidden maladies that fester in our hearts. The secret addictions that consume our souls. And the diseases we deny which affect our judgment. To survive we need to find that special someone who can heal us. But we can never predict who have the cure for what ails us. Or when they'll show up.

Everyone understands the nature of war. We also understand that victory depends on the cards that we have been dealt. Some, when faced with a bloody battle, simply give in. But for some, surrender is unacceptable. Even though they know it will be a fight to the death.

The world is filled with unlikely friendships. Odd pairings that to the casual observer make absolutely no sense at all. But if you look closer, we can see why these alliances form. After all, a shared purpose can give even mortal enemies common ground.

The world is filled with unlikely friendships. How do they begin? With one person desperately in need and another willing to lend a helping hand. When such kindness is offered, we're finally able to see the worth of those we had previously written off. And before we know it, a bond has formed, regardless of whether others can understand it. Yes, unlikely friendships start up every day. No one understands this more than the lonely. In fact, it's what they count on.

God may work in mysterious ways, but he isn't particularly subtle.

Control. It's extraordinary the tactics people employ to obtain it. Some rely on deception. While others engage in outright trickery. Then there are those who resort to extortion. Why do we fight so hard for control? Because we know to lose it is to put our fate in the hands of others. And what could be more dangerous?

Everyone enjoys a game of make-believe now and then. Of course, the ways in which we play can vary greatly. Sometimes we tell ourselves work won't interfere with our family life. Sometimes, we imagine certain relationships to be more meaningful than they really are. Occasionally, we put on a show, as if to convince ourselves our secrets aren't really all that terrible. Yes, the game of make-believe is a simple one. You start by lying to yourself, and if you can get others to believe those lies, you win.

The world is filled with good fathers. How do we recognize them? They’re the ones who are missed so terribly that everything falls apart in their absence. They’re the ones who love us, long before we’ve even arrived. They’re the ones who come looking for us when we can’t find our way home. Yes, the world is filled with good fathers. And the best are the ones who make the women in their lives feel like good mothers.

Everyone in the world needs someone they can depend on. Be they faithful friends, determined advocates, or a loving family. But occasionally in life, the people we thought would always be there for us… leave. And if that happens, it’s amazing the lengths we’ll go to, to get them back.

Beautiful lawns, spacious homes, happy families. These are the hallmarks of suburbia. But if you look beneath the veneer of gracious living... you will see a battle raging, a battle for control. You see the combatants everywhere, engaged in their routine skirmishes... fighting fiercely to have dominion over the world around them, all the while knowing... it's a battle they will lose.