"Our lives are changed by the books we read and the people we meet."

I have this saying taped to my computer. I love to read and would always pick a book over TV. My favorite author, by far, is Jodi Picoult. If you have not read her work, I highly recommend it. She has a way of pulling you along in a story that often includes the law, medicine, and family values. Usually, there is a twist at the end that you never predicted. Her latest, "Handle with Care" is one of her best. You can't go wrong with most any of them.
The second part of the quote is about people we meet. Being in sales, I meet and have to interact with all types of people. I think we are changed by the people we meet, some in small ways and others in big ways. Sometimes, we look at people we meet and think, "Boy, I don't want to be anything like them!" This, too has value. Witnessing the negative effect some have on others is a good lesson.
Often my quick tongue and sarcastic joking may hurt people in a way I did not intend. I must try and be mindful of this and be more careful to be sensitive to others. I would like to think I make people's day a little better, not worse, for having come in contact with me. As I am about to go out the door in the morning, my husband often says, "Play nice with the other kids." Simple words to live by...