In Honor of my friend, Karrie L. King, who is having a rough time of it now, I give to all my Court Reporting Student friends, a poem which got me through all of my educational school years of court reporting. I carried this on a card in my machine case and read it often to keep me going through those rough times. I hope it helps you all, too, until you pass that state exam. Believe me, many times I thought about quitting and even asked my teacher her advice on the subject. She advised me against it and so do I to you all. Good luck and remember this:

WHEN THING GO WRONG, AS THEY SOMETIMES WILL,
WHEN THE ROAD YOU'RE TRUDGING SEEMS ALL UPHILL;
WHEN THE FUNDS ARE LOW, AND THE DEBTS ARE HIGH,
AND YOU WANT TO SMILE, BUT YOU HAVE TO SIGH;
WHEN CARE IS PRESSING YOU DOWN A BIT,
REST IF YOU MUST, BUT DON'T YOU QUIT!
LIFE IS QUEER WITH ITS TWISTS AND TURNS,
AS EVERYONE OF US SOMETIMES LEARNS;
AND MANY A FAILURE TURNS ABOUT,
WHEN HE MIGHT HAVE WON, HAD HE STUCK IT OUT.
DON'T GIVE UP, THOUGH THE PACE SEEMS SLOW,
YOU MAY SUCCEED WITH ANOTHER BLOW.
SUCCESS IS FAILURE TURNED INSIDE OUT,
THE SILVER TINT OF THE CLOUDS OF DOUBT;
AND YOU NEVER CAN TELL HOW CLOSE YOU ARE,
IT MAY BE NEAR, WHEN IT SEEMS SO FAR.
SO, STICK TO THE FIGHT, WHEN YOU'RE HARDEST HIT,
IT'S WHEN THINGS SEEM WORSE, THAT YOU MUSTN'T QUIT."

Now, like my momma used to say: "Put that in your pipe and smoke it!"

THREE THINGS IN LIFE THAT, ONCE GONE, NEVER COME BACK
1. TIME
2. WORDS
3. OPPORTUNITY
THREE THINGS IN LIFE THAT CAN DESTROY A PERSON
1. ANGER
2. PRIDE
3. UNFORGIVENESS
THREE THINGS IN LIFE THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER LOSE
1. HOPE
2. PEACE
3. HONESTY
THREE, THINGS IN LIFE THAT ARE MOST VALUABLE
1. LOVE
2. FAMILY
3. KINDNESS
THREE THINGS IN LIFE THAT ARE NEVER CERTAIN
1. FORTUNE
2. SUCCESS
3. DREAMS
THREE THINGS THAT MAKE A PERSON
1. COMMITMENT
2. SINCERITY
3. HARD WORK
THREE THINGS THAT ARE TRULY CONSTANT -
FATHER - SON - HOLY SPIRIT

I ASK THE LORD TO BLESS YOU, AS I PRAY FOR YOU TODAY,
TO GUIDE YOU AND PROTECT YOU, AS YOU GO ALONG YOUR WAY.
GOD'S LOVE IS ALWAYS WITH YOU, GOD'S PROMISES ARE TRUE.
AND WHEN YOU GIVE GOD ALL YOUR CARES,
YOU KNOW GOD WILL SEE YOU THROUGH.

PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO PEOPLE
YOU WANT GOD TO BLESS.
I JUST DID!