I'm excited to introduce a new monthly column here at Silver Lining: mantras. I've had a plain little notebook for years. The pages are filled with quotes. I find the quotes anywhere - at church, at school, while reading a book, while reading online. I guess I'm one of those weird people who believe that something written by some guy hundreds of years ago (or something casually said by a friend over lunch one day) can have power to influence my thoughts and actions. This upcoming school…