Archives - January 2004

Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past.

Wisdom doesn't automatically come with old age. Nothing does --- except wrinkles. It's true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place.

The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.

Never read a book through merely because you have begun it.

Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense.

No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.

Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.

The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.

To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation.

Humor is by far the most significant activity of the human brain.

Please write again soon. Though my own life is filled with activity, letters encourage momentary escape into others lives and I come back to my own with greater contentment.

You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred.

It is knowledge that influences and equalizes the social condition of man; that gives to all, however different their political position, passions which are in common, and enjoyments which are universal.

The wit makes fun of other persons; the satirist makes fun of the world; the humorist makes fun of himself.

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

I daresay one profits more by the mistakes one makes off one's own bat than by doing the right thing on somebody's else advice.

When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind.

Everyone is born with genius, but most people only keep it a few minutes.

I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.

Dreams come true. Without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them.

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.

True luck consists not in holding the best of the cards at the table; luckiest is he who knows just when to rise and go home.

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.

The words that enlighten the soul are more precious than jewels.

The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy.

For me, words are a form of action, capable of influencing change.

Age is no guarantee of maturity.

The more severe the pain or illness, the more severe will be the necessary changes. These may involve breaking bad habits, or acquiring some new and better ones.

The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.

Turbulence is life force. It is opportunity. Let's love turbulence and use it for change.

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.