In The Garden of Thoughts - Dodinsky PDF

dodinsky
Illustrations by Amanda Cass
GardenThoughts.indd 1
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Copyright 2012 by Dodinsky

Cover and internal design 2012 by Sourcebooks, Inc.
Cover and internal illustrations by Amanda Cass
Cover design by Jennifer K. Beal Davis, jennykate.com
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LEO 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Dear Readers,
Where and how do we dig for the
frequently-spoken-of reservoir of inner strength? A
map to lead us is so important, to provide a
starting place saying, you are here. I hope this book
serves as a reminder that your personal you
are here can always be found in your heart.
Share your sparkle wherever you are.
dodinsky
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When you are looking at a mountain, marveling

at its beauty and strength, realize it is looking
right back and admiring you.
Embrace your own greatness.
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Consider your heart a cocoon from which dreams

emerge like butterflies to wander in the garden.
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A mind preoccupied with thoughts of

resentment and bitterness cannot
change the past. Nor do those thoughts
wound anyone but the soul that beholds them.
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Unbind your spirit.
Dont let the opinion of

others restrain you.
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I survived my insecurities and though

the road is daunting, I have learned being
true-to-oneself is good company.
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If others want to define you, dont linger

in their pond. Swim away from their ignorance
and find your ocean.
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Even if you find your voice,

sometimes it does not matter anymore,
when you speak to someone
who is deaf by choice.
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I hope that when you count the

stars, you begin with yourself.
May you embrace the
moonlight with your dreams.
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The horizon, to remind you of your

courage, sends its gentle waves
of confidence to kiss your feet.
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Do not let your shadow walk you.

You are not a slave of the past.
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When you go after your dreams,

sometimes the crowd yells its wishful thinking.
Ignore that explosion of opinion,
and follow the trail leading to your heart.
It will always whisper your truth.
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The dreams of the broken are

mightier than the wishes of the dead.
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Be there for others,

but never leave yourself behind.
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When you own your imperfections and

you embrace your life, you become a better person.
Life is about turning obstacles into pedestals.
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The strength of your will

cannot be imprisoned by
other peoples ignorance.
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Do not become a stranger to

yourself by blending in with
everyone else.
Your road to happiness

should be memorable
for the scenery as well
as the destination.
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When you stray away from your soul,

the distance you have traveled is
measured by the aching of your heart.
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If you stumbled today,

remember where and how it felt.
Tomorrow, take a different path.
Life flourishes from its pain
and the lessons we gain.
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When it seems that everything you do is wrong

and everyone is against youit is the best time
to wear your I-dont-give-a-damn tutu.
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Glide gleefully in the dance

floor of this is me and my life.
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If someone you trusted

betrayed you by choice,
dont cuddle up to the
rejection or blame yourself.
Why dont you pick yourself up
and love yourself better?
This, too, is by choice.
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There is a place called happiness, it is just

an arms length away from your fears and
a few steps beyond your misgivings.
To get there, sometimes
you need to take the path
of courage down to the
street of never-give-up,
until you reach the field of
dreams.
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The question is not why they dont like you

when you are being you.
It is why you waste time
worrying what they think.
If you are not hurting anyone with your actions,
keep moving forward with your life.
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Every morning I start with a drink

from my cup of sunshine, to remind myself
of who I am before I step into the world
of this is who we think you are.
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No matter how far the distance

you have traveled or the failures
that have gathered, hope would
still meet you anywhere.
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It is time to go and leave the

past behind. Exile the thoughts
of painful memories.
You have learned what they
have taught you.
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I hope you see the luster in the simplest of things and

heed the whispers of the heart.
After all, there is a

part of you that knows
that having less can
mean living more.
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The butterfly said to the sun,

They cant stop talking about my
transformation. But I can only do it once
in my lifetime. If only they knew that
they can transform at any time
and in countless ways.
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No one can dictate what attitude you will wear

today. If you meet someone whose intent is to put you
down, remember it is you who wears the crown.
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Do not plant your dreams

in the field of indecision, where nothing
ever grows but the weeds of what-if.
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To be at peace, your opinion

of yourself must outweigh the
assumptions of others about who
you are. It is a conscious decision
that their words no longer have
the ability to keep you down.
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Your value is the product of your thoughts.

Do not miscalculate your self-worth
by multiplying your insecurities.
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They who do not fear darkness

have learned to light their own candle.
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All the puzzle pieces are in your hands! Dont go

looking for someone to complete it for you. That
only reinforces the fear that you are incomplete.
Lifes strongest glue is being happy to be you!
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Growing old with someone else

is beautiful, but growing old
while being true to yourself is divine.
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A Doormats Perspective
A muted existence
to anguish in silence,
its nearly impossible
for the doormat
to find release.
I doubt if it knows
the key is hidden
right under it,
so very close,
always within reach.
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The soul does not absorb negativity

by accident, only by choice.
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Knowing who you are is

the best defense against
who they think you are.
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There are friendships imprinted

in our hearts that will never
be diminished by time or distance.
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Sometimes the one you dismiss so

easily is the one who will stay to
weather the storm with you.
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To strengthen the muscles of your heart,

the best exercise is lifting someone elses
spirit whenever you can.
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You cannot avoid bad days. Sometimes you

will shut a lot of doors, dimming your own light
and creating a mind-set of woefulness.
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Although we are responsible for our

own happiness, having a friend who
opens more doors than you close is
truly one of lifes greatest blessings.
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Do not worry about others leaving

you behind. They are not going
where you are headed.
It is not who finished first,
but who saw the most of life.
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If you travel in a path that makes you

happy and you are misunderstood by many,
I hope you consider the opinion that
carries the most weightYOURS.
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You cant stop people from

passing judgment. But they cant
build your prisonyou do.
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A great many battles I have won are

those that I have walked away from.
They have strengthened my character,
helping me learn that, in life, it is not always
necessary to prove you are right.
Know that there are people you
can never please and questions
you simply dont need to answer.
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I hope you know that who you truly are

can never be replaced by who they
imagined and wanted you to be.
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Be grateful to those who left you,

for their absence gave you the strength
to grow in the space they abandoned.
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When I reach the place

of my dreams, I will thank
my failures and tears.
They too, kept me going.
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Acknowledgments
To my parents, Melba N. and Rustico N., who raised me
with love and asked nothing but for me to be the best person I could be. To my friends, Arthur G., Carolyn B., Tracy
H., and Sandra K., who served as fuel to my dreams and
asked nothing but for me to keep on shining. To my agent,
Wendy K. and editors Shana D. and Deirdre B., who believed in me and made this dream a reality. To my readers,
who continue to engage with me and share my writings with
family and friends: You validate what I do. Thank you all!
dodinsky
A ton of gratitude to my parents Virginia and John (Dad, I
know youre cheering for me up there!) for their love and
encouragement. Many thanks to my dear siblings Nigel
and Debbie for their support. And finally, thank you to my
fans! Your kind compliments and general cheering-on have
delighted and inspired me daily.
Amanda
10/5/12 3:55 PM
About the Author

At an early age, Dodinsky searched for lifes meaning
and came to see the world from a unique perspective. He
recognizes the simplicity in the most complex situations,
masterfully perceives the emotions involved, and from
these, weaves words that inspire peoples spirits.
About the Illustrator

Amanda Cass is a carefree spirit living in the glorious
vineyards of Marlborough, New Zealand. Her mission is to
help spread love, life, and freedom through her art.
10/5/12 3:55 PM

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dodinsky

Illustrations by Amanda Cass

Copyright 2012 by Dodinsky

When you are looking at a mountain, marveling

Embrace your own greatness.

Consider your heart a cocoon from which dreams

A mind preoccupied with thoughts of

Unbind your spirit.

Dont let the opinion of

I survived my insecurities and though

If others want to define you, dont linger

Even if you find your voice,

I hope that when you count the

The horizon, to remind you of your

Do not let your shadow walk you.

When you go after your dreams,

The dreams of the broken are

Be there for others,

When you own your imperfections and

The strength of your will

Do not become a stranger to

Your road to happiness

When you stray away from your soul,

If you stumbled today,

When it seems that everything you do is wrong

Glide gleefully in the dance

If someone you trusted

There is a place called happiness, it is just

The question is not why they dont like you

Every morning I start with a drink

No matter how far the distance

It is time to go and leave the

I hope you see the luster in the simplest of things and

After all, there is a

The butterfly said to the sun,

No one can dictate what attitude you will wear

Do not plant your dreams

To be at peace, your opinion

Your value is the product of your thoughts.

They who do not fear darkness

All the puzzle pieces are in your hands! Dont go

Growing old with someone else

The soul does not absorb negativity

Knowing who you are is

There are friendships imprinted

Sometimes the one you dismiss so

To strengthen the muscles of your heart,

You cannot avoid bad days. Sometimes you

Although we are responsible for our

Do not worry about others leaving

If you travel in a path that makes you

You cant stop people from

A great many battles I have won are

I hope you know that who you truly are

Be grateful to those who left you,

When I reach the place

About the Author

About the Illustrator

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