Quotes and Sayings
In going through my “Quotes and Sayings” file I came across quite a few items that have meant enough to me that I took the time and trouble to save them. I encourage you to pause and think deeply about each one individually. Reflect on them. All but one (which is just funny) are very powerful. These, in large part, sum up my philosophy and approach to life, though I don’t always match up to them as much as I’d like.
- “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Sir Winston Churchill
- “Only a crisis–actual or perceived–produces real change.” Milton Friedman
- “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” Henry Ford
- “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” Ben Franklin
- “If you are willing to do only what is easy, life will be hard. But if you are willing to do what is hard, life will be easy.”
- “I’m going to get completely out of debt–even if I have to borrow the money to do it.” Leo Mays
- “It is always surprising how small a part of life is taken up by meaningful moments. Most of them are over before they start, although they cast a light on the future and make the person who originated them unforgettable. Anna had shined such a light on Siam.” From “Anna and the King”
- “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” Robert Collier
- “Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.”
- “Frustration is the result of expectation.” (This saying has been posted on my bulletin board for about 20 years and has been instrumental in changing the way I approach life.)
- “One person with courage is a majority.” Henry David Thoreau
- “Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional. So stick a geranium in your hat and be happy!” Barbara Johnson
- “Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people, you aren’t.” Margaret Thatcher
- “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” Novelist James Baldwin
I have others, but this is enough for now. I will probably expand on a few of these sayings with later posts. They have all impacted my life in some way. I’m hopeful that they will impact yours as well. Until then, God Bless. Dennis
