When it feels like the world is crashing around me, I have a lovely small but thick coffee table book that I pick up for inspiration. Thus, this is where I find myself today.
Nothing going on is earth shattering but sort of a discombobulation of affairs.
As my uncle said many years ago, “It’s just a living problem.”
It seems like everyone has to wade through the crap once in awhile, so we just need to get through it with a smile and maybe hip-waders, lol.
Over the years, the man in my life has also encouraged me saying, “One day doesn’t make a lifetime.”
Two great philosophers in their own right!
The book I referred to, compiled by David Ross, 1001 Pearls of Wisdom is a “treasury of the world’s greatest wisdom, full of words to cherish and enjoy – giving comfort and inspiration in all life’s situations.”
In the introduction, Ross says, “However we define it, wisdom comes from within. As the sixteenth century French essayist Michel de Montaigne observed, ‘We can be knowledgeable with other men’s knowledge, but we cannot be wise with other men’s wisdom.
"It is, above all, our own experience and common sense that help us to make the right decisions and no book could ever replace our natural instinct to act wisely, if we possibly can. However, what we gain from the wisdom of others is the benefit of another point of view, because, as this book makes clear, great minds rarely think exactly alike.
"A new perspective can help us to tackle a life problem in a way we hadn’t considered or it can encourage us to see difficult circumstances in a more positive light.’”
A great word of wisdom from the books states, “If two friends ask you to judge a dispute, do not accept, because you will lose one friend. On the other hand, if two strangers come with the same request, accept, because you will gain one friend.” St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430), North Africa
“The Golden Rule – The world’s wisest teachers from Christ to Confucius, have summarized the ideal of human conduct in a single ethical guideline known as the Golden Rule. ‘Do as you would be done by’ – treat other people as you would wish to be treated yourself.’”
“Truthfulness – Start right “Even the tiniest initial deviation from the truth is subsequently multiplied a thousandfold.” Aristotle (344-322 BC) Greece
I have always been a seeker of wisdom and one who does a lot of soul-searching. It helps to give me a better perspective of who I am, what I believe in and where I am going in life. I think this is a good thing because as humans, we are always on a quest to make it through life’s ups- and-downs as best we know how.
The more knowledge we have, we can glean wisdom from that, and that helps to sustain us through … .
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
