True love begins when nothing is looked for in return.

Posted on 24 June 2013 by philosiblog

True love begins when nothing is looked for in return. – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

If you loved her, would you even ask if there was free beer and pizza for those who helped her move?

If you truly loved her, would you even ask if there was free beer & pizza for those who helped her move? Would you just do it, or would you require something in return?

What does that mean?
I have heard a lot of variants of this quote, but many seem to take it in a different direction. To me, this is about the end-game of love, where you end up, and how you get there.

Some seem to think this is about sitting around and waiting (looking for nothing) and waiting for love to find you. It might happen, but I believe this quote is about what you do after you find someone.

It may start as passion, it may start as friends, but you usually want something from the other person. That is what I believe this quote is about, what happens when you still love them, but no longer for what you can get from them.

The quote says that’s when true love begins. You are no longer hanging around them just because they have money, or because they are popular, or because you want something.

It begins when you are there because you want to be with them. Nothing more.

Why is looking for nothing in return important?  Continue reading →

Posted in desire, forgiveness, love, reflection, truth, virtue | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Everybody wants a happy life and a peaceful mind, but we have to produce peace of mind through our own practice.

Posted on 23 June 2013 by philosiblog

Everybody wants a happy life and a peaceful mind, but we have to produce peace of mind through our own practice. – Dalai Lama

What was peaceful about the walk on the beach? The sound? You can get a CD of that. The breeze? You could use a fan. The scent? They make stuff to mix into water. What can you recreate to help you calm your mind?

What was peaceful about the walk on the beach? The sound? You can get a CD of that. The breeze? You could use a fan. The scent? They make stuff to mix into water, or bring some with you. What can you recreate to help you calm your mind?

What does that mean?
This quote starts out with a fairly straight-forward premise. We all want to be happy, however we might define that state. We also want a peaceful mind, free from fear and anxiety. Hard to argue with that.

The quote then goes on to say that peace of mind isn’t granted by a government agency or some outside authority. It says that we have to get it for ourselves, and that it is a skill which requires practice.

I found it interesting that the quote (at least in this form) doesn’t mention the ‘happy life’ portion of the premise. But how happy a life can one have if your mind isn’t free of fear and anxiety?

I can’t imagine living very happy life under that kind of mental stress, can you? While peace of mind isn’t the only thing necessary for a happy life, it can certainly make an otherwise happy life a bit less happy, right?

Why is peaceful mind important?  Continue reading →

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To keep oneself safe does not mean to bury oneself.

Posted on 22 June 2013 by philosiblog

To keep oneself safe does not mean to bury oneself. – Seneca

This particular snake (a variety of brownsnake) is only dangerous to worms and bugs. Knowledge can help keep you safe.

This particular snake (a variety of northern brownsnake) is only dangerous to worms and bugs. Knowledge can help keep you safer than simply burying yourself.

What does that mean?
Even dare-devils have a need to feel safe. We all have that need. We each might express it in a different manner, but we all have it. But is hiding the proper way to go about feeling safe?

The quote says that burying yourself (figuratively or literally) isn’t the best approach. Becoming a hermit, or at least acting like one, is likely to make more problems than it solves.

At some point, you have to do something in public, then what? Can you be a hermit and still go grocery shopping, especially if you are a hermit because you are trying to be safe?

There is a contradiction there, in my opinion. Hiding or avoiding isn’t really the best strategy. It might be a useful tool, but I wouldn’t use it to the exclusion of all other methods.

Why is feeling safe important?  Continue reading →

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What’s talked about is a dream. What’s envisioned is exciting. What’s planned becomes possible. What’s scheduled is real.

Posted on 21 June 2013 by philosiblog

What’s talked about is a dream. What’s envisioned is exciting. What’s planned becomes possible. What’s scheduled is real. – Tony Robbins and here

If you don't schedule a nap, how likely are you to get one? What else should you schedule specific time slots?

If you don’t schedule a nap, how likely are you to get one? What else should you schedule specific time slots? If you don’t schedule it, what is the likelihood that it will ever happen?

What does that mean?
This quote is about the steps one goes through on the path from an idea to a result. It starts with you talking about it. To yourself, to a friend, just out loud, you are dreaming it.

As you finish the dream stage, you start to have a pretty good idea what you are going to do, and what it will look like. You have envisioned it.

Then, you have something to draw you forward, so you start planning what you will need to do to make your vision a reality. You now have a plan.

To actually make it happen, you have to make the time to perform the actions which will turn your dream into reality. It sounds like a lot of steps, but it’s one way to break things down and think about them.

Why is scheduling things important?  Continue reading →

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The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, and inspires his listener with the wish to teach himself.

Posted on 20 June 2013 by philosiblog

The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, and inspires his listener with the wish to teach himself. – Edward Bulwar-Lytton

How are you going to find out what a Tulip smells like, if you have no curiosity?

How are you going to find out what a Tulip smells like, if you have no curiosity?

What does that mean?
Lets start with a definition. Dogma is defined as an authoritarian set of principles, usually considered unassailable truth. So when the quote says that the best teachers avoid this, I believe that’s a good thing.

Instead, the quote believes that the best teachers will inspire their students to educate themselves on whatever the topic might be. This is also my belief, and has actually been my experience throughout life.

When you lecture on dogma, the students either get it, or they don’t. They either believe it, or they don’t. There is no curiosity, and learning is reduced to memorization. That’s not the best teaching has to offer.

The older the student, the more they must be engaged, the more they must find out for themselves. Today, with search engines and the internet, all that is needed is a little curiosity, and that is what a good teacher inspires in us.

Why is curiosity important?  Continue reading →

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If you are depressed, you are living in the Past. If you are anxious, living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the moment.

Posted on 19 June 2013 by philosiblog

If you are depressed, you are living in the Past. If you are anxious, living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the moment. – Lao Tzu also attributed to Junia Bretas (see comments for details)

Is this guy in the present? From his body language, I would guess not.

Is this guy in the present? From his body language, I would guess that he is not. We can put the past behind us, if we try.

What does that mean?
This quote is a favorite of mine, even if I can’t find a solid attribution (but lots of places say it’s his quote).

If we are focused on the past, we are probably depressed. We’re either comparing today to how good things used to be in the past, or we are second guessing decisions we made or actions we took some time ago.

If we are focused on the future, we are probably anxious. We’re either worried about how badly things could turn out, or we are worried that the decisions we made yesterday won’t help us as much as we might have hoped.

If we are focused on this moment, largely to the exclusion of the past and future, we are mostly at peace. By focusing on what can be done, and doing it right now, we are doing the best we can, and that is all the more we can do.

Why is focusing on the present important?  Continue reading →

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Sanctity… the treasure that none discover because they suppose it to be too far away to be sought.

Posted on 18 June 2013 by philosiblog

Sanctity… the treasure that none discover because they suppose it to be too far away to be sought. – Jean Pierre de Caussade

We all need a little help from time to time. How does helping another make you feel?

We all need a little help from time to time. How does helping another make you feel? Is it something to treasure?

What does that mean?
This quote is from a French Priest in the period known as the Age of Reason or Age of Enlightenment (from mid 1600s until the late 1700s). The quote comes from a much longer passage, which discusses the search for spiritual grace.

While the quote is very specifically Christian in the original context, I believe it applies to all of us, no matter what our religion is (or even is not). It is my belief that we all want to feel connected with the greater good, and feel at peace.

His use of the term ‘sanctity’ here is describing the state of grace which can be found in giving up our willfulness, especially when things cannot be changed. He also believes it can be found in suffering bravely that which is unavoidable.

The quote, as excerpted, is about finding peace and grace everywhere around us. Whether it is laughing off an insult, or smiling at a stranger, peace and grace surround us.

The opportunities for peace and grace are not hiding deep in a cave or on a remote mountain top. It is everywhere, if we but look for it, and act once we find the opportunity.

Why is seeking peace and grace important?  Continue reading →

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Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it.

Posted on 17 June 2013 by philosiblog

Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it. – Thomas Fuller

Even our four legged friends know this quote. But then, they only have one definition for the word love, right?

Even our four legged friends know the meaning of this quote. But then, they only have one definition for the word love, right?

What does that mean?
This quote, in my mind, is about how someone who is in love reacts to both absence and pretense of their loved one. This quote helps me define who is, and who is not, truly in love.

The quote starts with the reaction in absence. The quote says this sharpens love, or helps you better understand exactly what it means to you. Some people do this, others allow their hearts to wander.

It concludes by considering what happens in the presence of their love. The quote says it strengthens the love, or helps make the bonds stronger and more durable. Some people do this, others just go through the motions.

By using this quote as a form of measuring stick, it can be a little easier to see if you (or your partner) are truly in love, or just in passion. There is a difference, as I imagine many of you know.

Why is understanding the word love important?  Continue reading →

Posted in affection, caring, freedom, humanitarianism, justice, love | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.

Posted on 16 June 2013 by philosiblog

Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects. – Dalai Lama

We all make ripples. What type of ripples do you make?

We all make ripples. What type of ripples do you make? How do they influence others?

What does that mean?
I like this quote, because I have seen it in action. It says that when we do something, there are consequences. These consequences spread like the ripples from a small stone dropped into water.

Who knows what these ripples will do. Have you ever been at a fork in the road, and been unable (or unwilling) to chose between them? I know that I certainly have.

And then, something happens, usually something small, and you select one option over the other. You have been hit by a ripple from a stone dropped by another.

Your actions also cause ripples. How have your actions had an impact on those around you, those you know? And how many other people you may only have briefly met?

These are the far-reaching consequences. Something you did may be related to a friend who relates it to another, and pretty soon, your ripples are on another continent. But are they beneficial ripples?

Why is being a positive influence important?  Continue reading →

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That is never too often repeated, which is never sufficiently learned.

Posted on 15 June 2013 by philosiblog

That is never too often repeated, which is never sufficiently learned. – Seneca

Memorize by rote, or learn the pattern? Which works better for you?

Memorize by rote, or learn the pattern? Which works better for you?

What does that mean?
Let’s start by unwinding the negatives and reversing the halves. That brings us to “That which hasn’t been learned, hasn’t been repeated often enough.” In short, I believe this quote is the basis of the phrase “repetition is the foundation of learning” (also said of skill).

Let me say that again. But seriously, how many times do you have to do something before you really get it? Yes, some things are easier than others.

But the things you have trouble with, you usually go back and get the information repeated to you again. And again. Until it sinks in, and you understand.

In that way, we learn. From the youngest of kids to us old folks, repetition has a place. Hopefully it’s not the only tool in the box. It is fairly certain, though, if someone isn’t getting it, they probably weren’t paying attention when it was said the first time.

Why is figuring out your best learning methods important?  Continue reading →

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Don’t fall into the trap of prioritizing a busy life over a truly fulfilled one! Make the choices that have deeper meaning and life is sweet.

Posted on 14 June 2013 by philosiblog

Don’t fall into the trap of prioritizing a busy life over a truly fulfilled one! Make the choices that have deeper meaning and life is sweet. – Tony Robbins and here

Eating an apple, while juggling knives, while balancing on a board on a drum on a table, while performing a comedy act, while wearing a tutu. Whew! Busy or fulfilled?

Eating an apple, while juggling knives, while balancing on a board on a drum on a table, while performing a comedy act, while wearing a tutu. Whew! Is he busy or fulfilled?

What does that mean?
Quick! What do you need to get done? Are you filling your schedule with a list of things which you “need to do” or are you focusing on the things which truly make a difference in your life and the lives of others?

To me, that is what the quote is about. Are you busy or are you fulfilled? If you don’t think about it, it’s really easy to end up busy. Most of us are busy at work. Yes, you have to do the paperwork, but does that really help the company? Sometimes yes, sometimes it’s just keeping you busy.

By choosing to do the more fulfilling things rather than just keeping busy, you will have a much more rewarding life. Realize, though, that you may not always have a choice.

Work is one of those places where you have to do what is assigned to you. But if you can find a better way, you might want to mention it to someone, and help everyone out.

Why is carefully managing your time important?  Continue reading →

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Great wealth and contentment seldom live together.

Posted on 13 June 2013 by philosiblog

Great wealth and contentment seldom live together. – Anonymous

Wealth, looks like it. Contentment, that looks good too. It can be done, but it takes the right attitude.

Wealth, it sure looks like it. Contentment, he looks good on that count, too. It can be done, but it takes the right attitude. Do something about discontent, don’t whine.

What does that mean?
To me, the key to this quote is the word seldom. Not never but seldom. There are people who have been able to amass great wealth and remain contented, but that is not the general condition.

The truth of the quote is seen daily in the newspapers and tabloids around the world. Whether it’s sports figures, politicians, industrialists, or movie celebrities, those with great fortunes are often found to be rather discontented. Celebrity marriages that last less than a used car warranty is just one example.

To me, this isn’t a warning against wealth, but a caution regarding the things you do once you attain some level of wealth. When you have it all, what is your next goal? When you can buy anything, where do you find happiness? These are some of the questions which often accompany the idle rich, and is a basis for the quote.

Why is learning to be content important?  Continue reading →

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Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.

Posted on 12 June 2013 by philosiblog

Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. – Arnold H. Glasgow also seen spelled as Glasow

What is your burning desire? What is your passion?

What is your burning desire? What is your passion?

What does that mean?
This isn’t about flame wars on Twitter or the ‘net. This is about getting hot, so hot you are on fire. It is a metaphor for feeling an urgent need to get something done.

This is usually a necessary step for attaining any level of success, although sometimes it is luck more than burning desire. However even if luck was involved, to maintain or have even more success, you need a fire, some drive, a burning desire.

That brings us to how that happens. Some people have been known to just sit there and wait for something to catch fire. However, that rarely happens. Usually, they just sit. But that’s not the path to success. You have to have a reason.

Until you have that fire, success will likely be a rare thing. Once you know what your reason is, why you MUST succeed, you will have started to set yourself on fire (in a figurative sense, of course).

Why is having a compelling reason important?  Continue reading →

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If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito.

Posted on 11 June 2013 by philosiblog

If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito. – Anonymous

From Taiwan, a sculpture inspired by Gary Larson's Far Side. It was the first thought I had on seeing the quote, so here it is.

From Taiwan, a sculpture inspired by Gary Larson’s Far Side. I normally try to find a picture which fits better, but was the first thought I had on seeing the quote, so here it is.

What does that mean?
If you have never been hectored by a small flying insect, this quote probably have no idea what this quote means. For everyone else, it is probably pretty obvious.

Mosquitoes are particularly annoying little bugs. And you know what they are there for; they want to drink your blood! They are bad enough when you can see them. They are something else when you can’t see them, just hear them buzzing somewhere nearby.

Even worse is when all is quiet, all is dark, and you’re trying to get to sleep. The presence of that one tiny mosquito is enough to keep you awake for most of the night.

And not just awake, but frustrated, mad, cranky, and even a little violent (or a LOT violent, from the viewpoint of the mosquito). How effective has that tiny insect been at disrupting your sleep? To me, that’s the point of the quote.

Why is making your voice heard important?  Continue reading →

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The only [true] gift is a portion of yourself.

Posted on 10 June 2013 by philosiblog

The only [true] gift is a portion of yourself. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

A gift from a child can warm a parent's heart.

A gift from a child can warm a parent’s heart. What could be a better gift?

What does that mean?
Often quoted with the word [true] inserted, the proper quote omits it. The quote continues: “Therefore the poet brings his poem; the shepherd, his lamb; the farmer, corn; the miner, a gem; the sailor, coral and shells; the painter, his picture; the girl, a handkerchief of her own sewing.”

The longer version does a pretty good job of explaining the quote, as does reading the source (see ‘confirmed’ section at the bottom of the post for a link). In short, it says that anyone can go out and buy a trinket. A true gift has something of the giver infused within it. There is a bit of their love within the gift.

That is why the examples include a poet writing a poem. I imagine that would apply even to those for whom poetry was not their field of expertise. Although prudence dictates that one should review poetry before giving it as a gift, lest the recipient believe it a curse, not a gift.

Why is giving of yourself important?  Continue reading →

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