I am a quote collector.  When I find a good quote I snag it immediately.  I tend to carry mini-notebooks with me for just this purpose. (Which has resulted in a tiny notebook obsession, but we won’t go there yet.) I find that on some days, all it takes is a good quote to empower you.

Happy Friday!

• “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” - Coco Chanel
• “There will invariably be people who do not accept you. And in that case you must be your own BADASS self without apology.” – Unknown
• “You grow up the day you have your first real laugh-at yourself.” –  Ethel Barrymore
• “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can!” –John Wesley
• “You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.” –Rick Warren
• “My sport is your sport’s punishment.” – Unknown (For all of the runners out there!)

I was raised by a very imaginative woman. My mother has  the most interesting view of the world around her.  Everything is filled with magic and possibilities.  She is the world’s biggest believer in Santa, has a “real” fairy door mounted on her wall and has always (SERIOUSLY) wanted to be Peter Pan.  She is a barrel of fun and quite a handful!

This is the world in which I grew up.

Because I was raised with this attitude, I also tend to be open to the wonder and magic in the everyday details.  (Not to mention see the humor where others do not.) This is especially true when I am around children.

About six months ago my kids and I discovered the movie Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. You might have seen it.  Perhaps not.  My kids were given the DVD as a present.

I  L O V E D IT.

Not the acting or the special effects, what I loved MOST of all was the message about believing (finding the magic) in yourself.

There is one specific scene from the film that made a lasting impression on me.  It is when Mr. Magorium is about to “depart.”  He takes his apprentice Mahoney’s face in his hands and says to her, “You life is an occasion.  Rise to it.”

Gave me chills.

I think that quote is my favorite of all time.  It is so relevant.  It is so inspiring.  I repeat it to my children, often.  I never want them to forget it.