While you were busy trying to prove God stands behind you, God was before me lighting the trail, so he could lead us both.

— Shannon L. Alder

Sometimes playing stupid opens your eyes to the truth.

— Anthony Liccione

Victimnoun \ˈvik-təm\ 1. The moment you tell everyone you have a mental disorder, in order to excuse your behavior.

— Shannon L. Alder

Silence is a lie that screams at the light.

— Shannon L. Alder

Accomplishments don’t erase shame, hatred, cruelty, silence, ignorance, discrimination, low self-esteem or immorality. It covers it up, with a creative version of pride and ego. Only restitution, forgiving yourself and others, compassion, repentance and living with dignity will ever erase the past.

— Shannon L. Alder

Often people that say they “don’t care” actually do. The moment they discuss you with their friends and family, compete with you, bad mouth you to others or react to anything you do or say is when they give themselves away. You can either be saddened or flattered that you effected someone so much. The perspective is yours to determine.

— Shannon L. Alder

The source to low self-esteem is the lack of control you feel you have in your life. If you spend your life competing with others, trying to make right the wrongs done to you, or waste your time trying to look right, you will never achieve contentment and emotional balance. People you encounter in life can’t be controlled by you. You only have control of yourself. Build your life around a relationship with a higher power and achieving what you’re passionate about. When you let go of what you can’t control, true peace can then enter your life. This is the path to achieving emotional balance.

— Shannon L. Alder

More often than not, you will never be judged by your intentions because the world can't read minds and very few will know the heart of a person they have not given time to know personally.

— Shannon L. Alder

Language has an ideological agenda that is apt to be hidden from view.

— Neil Postman

I don't know what you're getting yourself into,' said Majid, 'but I know I don't like it. Some things in Venice are pure poison.' Majid's eyes looked like they could bore through a stone wall. 'If someone has put you on a demon's tracks, you'd better make sure the demon doesn't find you first.'What's that supposed to mean,' asked Mathias.'It means behind every hand stained with blood there's another, and that one stays clean.' Majid leaned in close, lowering his voice to a whisper. 'What I'm saying is that behind a demon, there's always someone holding the creature on a leash.

— Riccardo Bruni