THINGS I SHOULD HAVE LEARNED
Well, I should have, but should've, could've, would've; that's something else.

I should have learned-
that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is
be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them.

I should have learned-
that no matter how much I care,
some people just don't care back.

I should have learned-
that it takes years to build up trust,
and only seconds to destroy it.

I should have learned-
that it's not what you have in your life,
but who you have in your life that counts.

I should have learned-
that you can get by on charm
for about fifteen minutes.
After that, you'd better know something.

I should have learned-
that you shouldn't compare
yourself to the best others can do,
but to the best you can do.

I should have learned-
that it's not what happens to people
that's important.
It's what they do about it.

I should have learned-
that you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.

I should have learned-
that no matter how thin you slice it,
there are always two sides.

I should have learned-
that it's taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.

I should have learned-
that it's a lot easier
to react than it is to think.

I should have learned-
that you should always leave
loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.

I should have learned-
that you can keep going
long after you think you can't.

I should have learned-
that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.

I should have learned-
that either you control your attitude
or it controls you.

I should have learned-
that regardless of how hot and steamy
a relationship is at first,
the passion fades and there had better be
something else to take its place.

I should have learned-
that heroes are the people
who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.

I should have learned-
that learning to forgive takes practice.

I should have learned-
that the most important things,
are not things.

I should have learned-
that there are people who love you dearly,
but just don't know how to show it.

I should have learned-
that my best friend and I can do anything
or nothing and have the best time.

I should have learned-
that sometimes the people you expect
to kick you when you're down
will be the ones who help you get back up.

I should have learned-
that some people
are not honest,
even if they claim to be so.

I should have learned-
that sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me
the right to be cruel.

I should have learned-
that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I should have learned-
that just because someone doesn't love you
the way you want them to doesn't mean
they don't love you with all they have.

I should have learned-
that maturity has more to do with
what types of experiences you've had
and what you've learned from them
and less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.

I should have learned-
that you should never tell a child
their dreams are unlikely or outlandish.
Few things are more humiliating, and
what a tragedy it would be
if they believed you.

I should have learned-
that your family won't always
be there for you, that
families aren't always biological.

I should have learned-
that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.

I should have learned-
that it isn't always enough
to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn
to forgive yourself.

I should have learned-
that no matter how bad
your heart is broken
the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I should have learned-
that our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we become.

I should have learned-
that sometimes when my friends fight,
I'm forced to choose sides
even when I don't want to.

I should have learned-
that just because two people argue,
it doesn't mean they don't love each other,
And just because they don't argue,
it doesn't mean they do.

I should have learned-
that sometimes you have to put
the individual ahead of their actions.

I should have learned-
that two people can look
at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.

I should have learned-
that no matter how you try to protect your children,
they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I should have learned-
that there are many ways of falling
and staying in love.

I should have learned-
that no matter the consequences,
those who are honest with themselves
get farther in life.

I should have learned-
that your life can be changed
in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.

I should have learned-
that even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you,
you will find the strength to help.

I should have learned-
that writing, as well as talking,
can ease emotional pains.

I should have learned-
that the paradigm we live in
is not all that is offered to us.

I should have learned-
that credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.

I should have learned-
that the people you care most about in life
are taken from you too soon.

I should have learned-
that although the word "love"
can have many different meanings,
it loses value when overly used.

I should have learned-
that it's hard to determine
where to draw the line
between being nice and
not hurting people's feelings
and standing up for what you believe.