Reality Bites (or Bites of Reality...Get it?)

I found some thoughts in my notes that I could not possibly be clever enough to have created.  I don't recall where the following came from so I hope that the original source will forgive me if it is a direct copy and paste here.

Mercy
Teach every child you meet the importance of forgiveness. It's our only hope of surviving their wrath once they realize just how badly we've screwed things up for them.
 
Wishes
When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much hosed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor.
 
Tradition
Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid.
 
Mistakes
It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others. Accomplishments
You can fool all of the people all of the time if your effects budget is large enough.
 
Achievement
You can do anything you set your mind to when you have vision, determination, and an endless supply of expendable labor.
 
Acquisition
The discovery that you're no longer a big fish in a small pond, or even a small fish in a big pond, but a small fish in a big fish.
 
Agony
Not all pain is gain.
 
Beauty
If you're attractive enough on the outside, people will forgive you for being irritating to the core.
 
Arrogance
The best leaders inspire by example. When that's not an option, brute intimidation works pretty well, too.
 
Ambition
The journey of a thousand miles sometimes ends very, very badly.
 
Blogging
Never before have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few.
 
Committees
Just like teamwork. Only without the work.
 
Change (winds)
When the winds of change blow hard enough, the most trivial of things can become deadly projectiles.
 
Change
Politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed often and for the same reason.