True North - A Mission Statement, of sorts

Have you ever heard of True North? 

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I mean, of course you have.  Everyone has heard the term 'True North'.  But, when I think on it, I think of what guides me.  Like, what is my internal compass pointing towards?  There are things that will always pull at you, and there is always going to be something that touches you at the heart of things and gives a gentle tug, tug their way. 

I was thinking about that a lot this morning.  I mean, what pulls at me at the heart of everything.  In other words, what proverbially melts mah butter. 

I came up with four things. 

If ever I had a mission statement they would include these words from other people that I regard as wholly inspirational in different ways.  They may mean so many different things to different people, but to me, they're what makes me tick. 

"I have spread my dreams under your feet, Tread softly because you tread on my dreams..." ~ WB Yeats

If you've known me longer than ten minutes, you'll know that I love the Irish poet, William Butler Yeats.  He turns a phrase quite like no one I know and I get lost in the rhythm of his words.  They're lovely.  But this particular passage means more to me than anything.  I remember reading it for the first time.  You know when you're watching a moment in your life and you know deep down that this moment is going to matter?  Yeah, that's how I felt the first time I read those words.  Wow, just wow. 

"You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one..." ~ John Lennon

Should I elaborate or is this one pretty self-explanatory?  We're all dreamers at heart.  We just happen to have different goals, ideals, and sense of purpose.  I'm not the only one, man.

"No more games, I'ma change what you call rage; Tear this motherfucking roof off like two dogs caged; I was playing in the beginning, the mood all changed; I've been chewed up and spit out and booed off stage" ~ Marshall Mathers (aka Eminem)

Anyone here surprised that I, of all people, identify with these lines?

Me, too.

I'm normally not the hugest rap fan at all, but when you break down the lyrics of this song, really listening to the words that Mr. Mathers is serving up so very articulately, it's just a simple song about a man rising above the 'system'.  In fact, he's beating the system.  So many people bare-knuckled that kid to keep him down in his 'place' and he didn't listen. 

That, my friends, is the scrapper mentality.  I wasn't ever really aware I possessed that quality until I desperately needed it.  It's one of the few things that I actually like about myself.

(Side bar conversation:  Have any of you ever seen the movie Murphy's Romance?  Guh.  James Garner.  Love him to pieces.  But I will never forget the scene where he and Sally Field are doing dishes and just talking and she asks him "What's the matter, Murphy?  Don't you like yourself?  To which he replies, "Yes, but I never thought it would be contagious."  Best lines from a stellar gent.)

And lastly, but not the least:

"I'm a mom.  It's who I am." ~ Heather Fleming

Again, this doesn't need an explanation, does it?  Those four people in my life, along with Kenny, have defined who I am more than anything else that this world could dish out, serve up.

In closing, what's your True North?  What guides you?