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heart So, I've always loved quotes. They can inspire and drive people to do one's best. They can also start discussions and bring people together. Meanwhile, they can also, unfortunately, be used to incite violence and anger. I love a good quote because it makes for an excellent mental exercise. See, I'll take a quote and pretend that I'm debating its meaning or point with my friends or a teacher; another exercise I do is to pretend that I'm writing a paper on the meaning or value of a quote. I seriously believe these exercises have helped me better myself. Through my mental debates I have found that my speech has become more eloquent and my ability to see all sides of an argument has grown(arguing with yourself does have its uses xd ). Likewise, my "mental papers" have allowed me to become better at organizing my thoughts and arguments into more precise and coherent arrangements.
heart Now I've decided to add to my little self-help workshop by actually putting my words to paper, or pixels as the case is. By doing these little exercises on here I'm hoping all be able to improve my spelling and grammar. To start off, I think it would be most appropriate to start with the quote that I use, and have used for some time, in my Gaia signature...



heart This quote is by Ayn Rand, the author of Anthemand Atlas Shrugged. I have no clue when or why Ms. Rand made this quote. All I know is that I first saw this quote after reading her book Anthem(her only book that I've ever read) in my freshman English class in high school(this seems like so long ago sweatdrop ). My teacher had passed out this quote and a few others that she thought were relevant and memorable. This one, above all others, has always stayed with me.
heart At the time, it spoke to my angsty teenage heart; because, to me, it was the embodiment of my situation. Here I was a freshman in high school being told it was time to live a new part of my life filled with action and choices. Actions and choices that I didn't yet feel ready for. I was unsure and searching for my code of values. I didn't know where to find it or who to look to and that just left me adrift in the big ocean of high school. I followed others actions and allowed others to make my choices, because I was not sure what my code of values were. I mean, I had a good idea of what they weren't. I didn't do drugs, I didn't have sex, I didn't believe in this and I didn't believe in that. I did...nothing.
heart Now, a few years later, I can say that I do know what my code is. I know what I don't and what I do. I can say I know what I value and just how I value it. This has made all the difference. When you know what you want to do, say, shout, or dance; it becomes so much easier to make the choices and actions that go with it.
heart In all, I'd have to say this quote even embodies my values now. Because now, my code of values is at the root of all my actions and all my choices and thus at the root of my life. Just like a code of values is what this quote comes down to.