One of my dearest friends who I have known for over twenty years published his third book in January of this year. “Positive 365: A Positive Quote for Every Day of the Year” is a compilation of sayings and snippets from Sam Wilder, his friends, writers on the Internet and those he admires present and past.

He quotes everyone from Norman Vincent Peale to Muhammad Ali, Emerson to George and Martha Washington, Mr. Rogers to Albert Einstein and from his friend, Mike Dooley, to Star Trek’s Mr. Spock. I’m humbled that even a couple of my quips made the pages of the book.

Based on likes and comments on his Facebook page here’s the top five most popular quotes printed on the last page of Sam’s book:

1. There are five rules of freedom
1) You are not a victim.
2) Speak the unspoken truth.
3) Accept yourself for who you are.
4) Change your world.
5) JUMP! (you need to take risks and expose your true self to achieve your destiny. Steve Sherwood)

2. That little kid that our grandma loved and that old person that grandkids will love is the same person… you. Take a moment today to think about the love you’ve received and the love you give and honor the person you are.

3. “People are created to be loved. Things are created to be used. The reason the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used.” (from Tumblr.com)

4. “Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind, ‘Pooh’ he whispered. ‘Yes, Piglet?’ “Nothing,’ said Piglet, taking Pooh’s hand. ‘I just wanted to be sure of you’. (A. A. Milne)

5. “Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” (Albert Camus)

Trying to retype here what he wrote in the copy my friend, Sam Wilder, sent me is difficult because my emotions keep trying to turn on the sprinklers in my eyes. He wrote, You are one of the greatest men I know. Thanks for your incredible insight, mentoring and most of all friendship – I love you madly! Sam. 

If only I could express fully in one place at one time the gratitude I feel for all I’ve received from my long friendship Sam Wilder. What is here is far from the complete version of my gratefulness, but at least it is a small public statement of my love and admiration for this man who is my dear friend and fellow passenger on the spiritual path of discovery we share.

Some people are so much in their own heads
that there’s no room for anyone else.
It is only by opening up and letting others
in that we experience our best life.
Sam Wilder on the back cover of “Positive 365…”

 

More about Sam Wilder’s work:  Positive Magazine 
About the Sam’s book “Positive 365…” book