This morning my former secretary, Laurie, at York College sent me this piece that I'm passing on to you to read. She asked me if I knew who wrote it. I don't. What I've Learned was given to me by another of my secretaries (Janet) in the past. When I taught at York College I gave a copy of this piece to my HRM and to my PSYCH majors the last day of the last class I would teach them just before graduation. There is so much books don't teach - perhaps can't teach. Maybe this is something you wouldn't understand until you've lived a while. What do you think?

If you know who wrote this, would you please let me know so that I can give proper credit. Enjoy!


What I’ve Learned –


I’ve 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’ve learned –
that no matter how much I care,
Some people just don’t care back.

I’ve learned –
that it takes years to build up trust,
and only seconds to destroy it.

I’ve learned –
that it’s not what you have in your
life but who you have in your life
that counts.

I’ve learned –
that you can get by on charm for
about 15 minutes. After that, you’d
better know something.

I’ve learned –
that you shouldn’t compare
yourself to the best others can do.

I’ve learned –
that you can do something in an
instant that will give you heartache
for life.

I’ve learned –
that it’s taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.

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

I’ve learned –
that you can keep going
long after you think you can’t.


I’ve learned –
that we are responsible for what we
do, no matter how we feel.

I’ve learned –
that either you control your
attitude or it controls you.

I’ve 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’ve learned –
that heroes are the people who do
what has to be done when it needs
to be done, regardless of the
consequences.

I’ve learned –
that money is a lousy way of keeping
score.

I’ve learned –
that my best friend and I can do
anything or nothing and have the
best time.

I’ve learned –
that sometimes the people you expect
to kick you when you’re down
will be the ones to help you get back up.

I’ve 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’ve learned –
that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.



I’ve 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’ve 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’ve 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 it.

I’ve learned –
that your family won’t always be there
for you. It may seem funny, but people
you aren’t related to can take care of
you and love you and teach you to trust
people again. Families aren’t biological.

I’ve 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’ve learned –
that it isn’t always enough to be
forgiven by others. Sometimes you have
to learn to forgive yourself.

I’ve learned –
that no matter how bad your heart is
broken the world doesn’t stop for your
grief.

I’ve learned –
that our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we
become.
I’ve 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’ve learned –
that we don’t have to change friends
if we understand that friends change.

I’ve learned –
that you shouldn’t be so eager to find
out a secret. It could change your
life forever.

I’ve learned –
that two people can look at the exact
same thing and see something totally
different.

I’ve learned –
that no matter how you try to protect
your children, they will eventually get
hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I’ve learned –
that your life can be changed in a
matter of hours by people who don’t
even know you.

I’ve 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’ve learned –
that credentials on the wall do not
make you a decent human being.

I’ve learned –
that the people you care most about in
life are taken from you too soon.

I’ve 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.