We become wiser by adversity; prosperity destroys our appreciation of the right.

Posted on 17 November 2012 by philosiblog

We become wiser by adversity; prosperity destroys our appreciation of the right. – Seneca

In times of prosperity, it is funny. In times of adversity, would you have lost it in the first place?

What does that mean?
This is an interesting viewpoint, one which probably isn’t immediately apparent to most of us. The quote states that in adversity, we gain wisdom more readily than in times of prosperity. I believe that this is true, because when times are tough, you have to learn from your mistakes, so that you quite wasting time, effort, and/or money.

When we are in times of prosperity, it’s easy to say “So what?” when something goes wrong. There isn’t as large a scarcity of resources when one is in a period of prosperity. The loss isn’t that significant, because it’s easy to get more. Therefore the pressure to learn is not as great.

Since the world seems to be easing out of a period of prosperity and into an adverse period, it would be a good time to look into this quote, and try to find ways to apply it to our own lives. It doesn’t cost to much to take a few moments and think through this, right?

Why is wisdom necessary in adverse conditions?  Continue reading →

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People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.

Posted on 16 November 2012 by philosiblog

People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do. – Lewis Cass

It took a while, but eventually I went skydiving. This isn’t me, but my dive was also a tandem. It really is fun. 8)

What does that mean?
This is a classic, which has been said many ways before, from elegant, through practical, to downright crass. But the point remains clear, say what you will, it’s what you actually do that matters.

People say a lot of stuff, right? You’ve heard people talk about what they are going to do if this, or when that, or something equally out there in the realm of “wouldn’t it be nice if…” However, how many actually go out and do it?

In my experience, a few will, but most will not. And that is what the quote is about. It’s about being part of that smaller group and actually going out and doing something. Whether that means turning down your mouth, or turning up your action, get it done. After all, talk is cheap.

Why is taking action important?  Continue reading →

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Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.

Posted on 15 November 2012 by philosiblog

Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love. – Albert Einstein

What sorts of things attract you? In a crowd, how does gravity affect you?

What does that mean?
While this quote might better have been said by Sir Isaac Newton, it’s Albert that is quoted as having said it. This is one of many tongue-in-cheek saying he is famous for having said.

In this case, he is equating falling due to gravity with falling due to love. However, he also pointing out that the force of attraction in each case is quite different. I would have to agree, both with the equivalence he draws between the two forces, as well as the difference.

The quote also implies that both of these forces are undeniable forces of nature. From personal experience, I would have to agree with the quote, both in the certainty of their existence, and their undeniable and irresistible power.

One could go on for quite some time drawing parallels between physics and love, including attraction, orbits, charged particles, like charges repelling and so many others. But as always, Albert Einstein worked hard to make things as simple as possible, like this quote.

Why is attraction important?  Continue reading →

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Facts are facts and will not disappear on account of your likes.

Posted on 14 November 2012 by philosiblog

Facts are facts and will not disappear on account of your likes. – Jawaharlal Nehru

No matter how much you like MC Escher or his works, the fact is that this just isn’t something that can happen in reality, right? It’s all in how you look at it.

What does that mean?
This is a great quote, said many times and in many ways by a great many people. I imagine even Confucius and Mark Twain actually said something like this at some point in their lives.

Facts are the words we give to actual truths. Whether it be a statement about the cat (alive or dead), or the weather (raining or not), a fact is the truth. While in some cases, opinions are asserted as facts, things that are actual facts are, in fact, actually true.

What is important to know is that no matter whether you approve or disapprove, like or dislike, enjoy or bemoan, a fact continues to be true. Facts do not care about your likes or dislikes. They do not seek your approval. They don’t care if they make you happy or sad. They simply are.

Why is facing facts important?  Continue reading →

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Of what shall a man be proud, if he is not proud of his friends?

Posted on 13 November 2012 by philosiblog

Of what shall a man be proud, if he is not proud of his friends? – Robert Lewis Stevenson

Yeah, he’s a little Goofy, but even then if Max is your friend, you should be proud to call him such, right?

What does that mean?
To me, this quote is about who you hang with. Who are your friends? Are you proud of them? Are there some among your friends you would be embarrassed to be seen with, if a TV camera happened to catch you in the background?

Are there some among your friends you would rather not introduce to your family or your co-workers? Have you ever thought about that? What about them makes you reluctant to introduce them?

What does this split within yourself say about you, that you have some friends you think would be an embarrassment to introduce to other friends? I would be confused if I were in that situation, would you be?

Instead, I would work at having friends I could always be proud to be among, and to not ever be afraid to introduce to my other friends. Sometimes all a friend needs is a little help to overcome that which embarrasses you. Be a friend and let them know. Gently.

Why is having pride in your friends important?  Continue reading →

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Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.

Posted on 12 November 2012 by philosiblog

Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely. – Auguste Rodin

There is always a price to pay for knowledge or wisdom. Sometimes you have to try and then fail to learn a lesson. That’s something to think about.

What does that mean?
This quote is near and dear to my heart. I’ve heard it said many different ways, and said it as many more. This quote is about learning from your actions, both what went well, as well as what did not go well.

In short, if you learn something, if gain wisdom from the event, then it was not a waste of time nor was it a waste of effort. Whether you get the idea on the first time, or it takes you a little longer to catch on, so long as you learn, it wasn’t a waste.

Every lesson in life comes with a price. Sometimes it is the time you invest. Sometimes it is the effort you invest. Other times it is the emotion and passion you invest. You put forth your best effort, and then see what comes of it. The fool will learn nothing, and the wise will learn something that helps them in their next effort. Which are you?

Why is learning important?  Continue reading →

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The sole source of peace in families, countries and the world is altruism – love and compassion.

Posted on 11 November 2012 by philosiblog

The sole source of peace in families, countries and the world is altruism – love and compassion. – Dalai Lama

Parents are unselfish with their young children. What if we were all that unselfish with each other? I know it’s a bit idealistic, but we can still work towards that end.

What does that mean?
Altruism is an interesting word. According to TheFreeDictionary.com, it means “Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness.” So, this ‘altruism’ is supposed to be the source of peace not only in families, but in countries and in the world? Let’s examine that, shall we?

The opposite of peace, conflict, arises from differences of opinion and from people having different needs. Altruism, the selfless and unselfish concern for others, helps by making you decisions while including the needs of other people. Can you see how that might be related to achieving peace in the family?

What about countries and the whole wide world? How does altruism impact this national and world stages? Imagine, if you would, a world where enlightened self-interest spread throughout the land. Everyone’s decision-making process included the impact it would have on others in their nation and in the world.

To me, that is the idea the quote is promoting. Yes, it is sheer idealism, at least on the larger scales. But on the national and international levels, the best treaties, the most effective relationships are based on altruism. It is a goal to strive for, as individuals and as a world.

Why is being unselfish important?  Continue reading →

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Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.

Posted on 10 November 2012 by philosiblog

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. – Seneca

When one beginning reaches it’s end, it is time for a new beginning.

What does that mean?
To me, this quote is all about the circle of life, and the circular nature of our lives. Things start, things end. The end of one thing leads to the beginning of another. This quote states it from the opposite view point, in which the beginning of a new thing comes from the completion of the prior thing.

Spring comes from the end of Winter. Sprouts come from the end of seeds. Harvests come from the end of plants. There are many ways to look at things in life, but for the Ancient Greeks and Romans, simple was often considered better. This quote is about as simple as it gets.

While we like to think of ourselves as more sophisticated, this simple way of looking at things still has some usefulness. Especially as a time limited person, I find it hard to start something new until I have finished with something else first. Does that make a little more sense?

Why is finishing important?  Continue reading →

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Some people dream of great accomplishments, while others stay awake and do them. – Unknown

Posted on 9 November 2012 by philosiblog

Some people dream of great accomplishments, while others stay awake and do them. – Unknown

It looks really pretty in a picture. Someday, I plan to go there and see it in person. But that will take a little more doing and a little less dreaming, right?

What does that mean?
This quote reminds us that it takes effort to accomplish anything. Dreaming is a fun pastime. It is a place for our imaginations to take us. However, dreams aren’t real, and never will be.

Our dreams aren’t going to just become reality on their own. At some point, we will have to get busy and make the things we dreamed about happen by actually going out and doing them.

This quote points out the difference by comparing those who sleep and dream to those who are industrious enough to stay up late and work on the achieving the things they have been dreaming about.

After all, the surest way to get what you always wanted and have dreamed about is to get up out of your comfy bed and get busy. Put in the hours, think and strategize and work on the obstacles. And keep after it until it is yours.

Why is taking action important?  Continue reading →

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There ain’t nothing from the outside that can lick any of us.

Posted on 8 November 2012 by philosiblog

There ain’t nothing from the outside that can lick any of us. – Margaret Mitchell

Are you licked? Have you given up? Have you accepted defeat? Only when you are licked within is it truly over.

What does that mean?
The line, from her novel ‘Gone with the Wind,’ is spoken as part of the eulogy for Scarlett’s father, Gerald O’Hara. He was being described as someone who could withstand any setback, from any quarter, at any time. The distinction was drawn between the forces outside ourselves and those which emanate from within.

What finally ‘licked’ (Southern English for defeated) him was the death of his wife, which took the spirit out of him. In the book, he had built a plantation, survived the Civil War, having his possessions burned or looted, and the taxation and hunger that followed. But he was turned into a shell of a man from the inside.

To me, this is the whole point of the quote. If you stand fast, you can weather any storm. Nothing from the outside can break you, nothing from the outside can defeat you. Only you can defeat yourself, and that can only happen if you give up. You might not always win, but so long as you get back up, you are not defeated.

Why is standing strong important?  Continue reading →

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Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.

Posted on 7 November 2012 by philosiblog

Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas. – Marie Curie

About what are you curious?

What does that mean?
This is both interesting and sexist sounding at the same time. Another term for being curious about people (and the discussions that accompany the discoveries) is gossiping. While it isn’t specified that she is speaking to other ladies, back in her era, it was considered the type of thing that women often did.

Instead, she urges all to be more interested in ideas than in gossiping about people. In the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s, technology and ideas were developing rapidly. Whole new areas of research were being discovered and their properties and uses discovered and exploited for the benefit of humanity.

She lived a remarkable life, one punctuated by probing questions and an insatiable curiosity about the ideas that were her research. While she became the object of much gossip at one point in her life, she carried on with her research as best she could, and always tried to stay focused on the ideas, and the curiosity.

Why is curiosity important?  Continue reading →

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Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.

Posted on 6 November 2012 by philosiblog

Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses. – Confucius

I have a question to poesie to you: Can you forget really bad puns and other injuries, but always remember acts of kindness? I do hope so!

What does that mean?
This is a beautiful quote, for its shortness, its symmetry, and its heart. Injuries can be dealt with in many ways, but they boil down to two basic ways. You remember them, or you forget them. The minor injuries, based on our values, are the easiest to forget. The big ones are a little tougher to forget, right?

However the quote also urges us to never forget a kindness. And we tend to get what we focus on, in a consistent manner. If we stay focused on acts of kindness we have received, we will more easily see kindness done by others both to ourselves and to others.

To me, the best possible thing to come of this quote is the chance that we might even become so focused on seeing acts of kindness, that we begin to see opportunities for us to perform an act of kindness. Wouldn’t that be awesome? I certainly think that it is.

Why is forgetfulness or forgiveness important?  Continue reading →

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Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead.

Posted on 5 November 2012 by philosiblog

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. – Oscar Wilde

This is a lovely garden. Is your heart this full of love, or is it a bit more desolate?

What does that mean?
A garden with all the flowers dead. That sounds bleak. Then add a lack of sunshine, and it becomes truly dreary. That is the closest match that the quote could find to a life without love in the heart. Given that description, it’s not something that I want to experience or live, how about you?

Looking at it from the opposite direction, a heart full of love becomes a beautiful flower garden, with everything in bloom. There are even great rays of sunshine lighting and warming things up. Compare that to the way things were described in the quote, and chose how you would like to live.

Did you chose a life with love in your heart? I hope so! But why warn us about this situation of hearts without love? Then as now, there are people who live without this sunshine, who live in a garden full of dead flowers. This quote is meant to awaken us to the possibility of more in our lives, if only we pay heed to it.

Why is optimism important?  Continue reading →

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When I wake in the morning, I make a wish to be useful to others.

Posted on 4 November 2012 by philosiblog

When I wake in the morning, I make a wish to be useful to others. – Dalai Lama

Would you go to the top shelf to do something useful for a friend or family member? What about a stranger? Only if it was your job?

What does that mean?
To me, this is a desire to be helpful, to assist others. I don’t think it means to be at the mercy of the whims of others. I don’t think the activities should be degrading, humiliating, or painful. However, I do believe we all have this urge, from time to time.

This is a way of serving humanity, to be useful to others. To provide what assistance you can to those in need, whether it be something as basic as the need for food, to helping someone find a book at a library or reach an object on the top shelf. Needs are identified, and people attempt to fill them.

This is also the more enlightened way to do business. In exchange for providing a useful service, you get some cash. Everyone is happy, because everyone gets what they wanted, and it’s a win-win situation. At least that’s how it goes in theory.

Why is being useful to others important?  Continue reading →

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In times of peace, prepare for war.

Posted on 3 November 2012 by philosiblog

In times of peace, prepare for war. – Niccolò Machiavelli

Are you prepared? What would you do if you had to evacuate for a few days with little notice? What are you ready for, and what are you willing to do without?

What does that mean?
This quote has been around since long before Machiavelli. However, it is very close to passages in The Art of War and in The Prince, and fits with his basic attitude. This quote is also commonly attributed to Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus but actually goes back at least as far as Horace (Satires II, 2, iii).

As stated by Machiavelli, it is (as usual) much longer : “War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans.”

This quote is often derided by those who have difficulty thinking past the present. When is the proper time to prepare for a hurricane? When it gets there is too late. You must prepare for the event before it occurs. Once it is started, you can only use what you have at hand, nothing more.

These days, we get warnings for large weather patterns, like hurricanes. But not so for sudden events, like an earthquake, or an a surprise attack from an enemy. To be prepared for either of these, you have to do so in times of calm, times of peace. Times when the terrible event is farthest from your mind.

Why is being prepared important?  Continue reading →

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