That I collect quotes is not a secret. They can come from anywhere but usually a famous person or, for one reason or another, a noteworthy source. But the quote itself has to stand on its own legs, something profound, ironic or clever. Then, we are drawn to quotes that reflect our own values and sensibilities. This morning I scrolled through several websites that catalog quotes by their source or content. I was curious to see what quotable people had to say concerning ‘Patience’. Not surprising, many quotes dealing with patience came from preachers and the like who thought patience a righteous virtue. They correlated patience with obedience and reward which seemed more like pandering than wisdom. But there was one that I liked and it lacked the wannabe morality. “Patience unresolved becomes cowardice.”
Sometimes a new, unfamiliar quote moves you to think, ‘I wish I had said that.’ They are the ones you want to keep on a short leash. I think of Willie Sutton, the famous bank robber. When asked why he robbed so many banks he answered mater-of-factly, “That’s where they keep the money.” I can’t resist Yogi Berra quotes, not because they are funny but for his unpolished phrasing and unspoiled persona. If anybody else had spoken such, it would not have raised a ripple. Who but Yogi Berra would say, “You can observe a lot just by watching.” If I want to wax profound I turn to someone like Carl Sagan who, unlike Yogi, was about as sophisticated and refined as humanly possible. He made the distinction, “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” He also noted that, “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.” Milking a little more of the profound I concede to Joseph Campbell, “Life is without meaning. You bring the meaning to it. Being alive is the meaning.”
The nature of quotes you are drawn to creates a good window into the psyche of the collector. It allows one to discover the scope of their own humor, their own moral compass and just who their heroes are. I never really thought I had heroes, certainly not sports figures or movie stars. Still by whatever hook you hang them on, they are the people who model in the flesh what you aspire to in theory.
Back in the 1990’s, the fad was rubber wristbands embossed with WWJD. People bought and then gifted them to others who noticed and inquired. I worked with another teacher who wore half a dozen on each wrist. I didn’t then, don’t now have a clue what Jesus would do. At the time it was less about love and forgiveness and more of exclusive inclusion in a self righteous, privileged culture. I don’t think he would have approved what they were doing in his name. A WWMTD wristband would have suited me better. Mark Twain would be another hero, steeped in a clear eyed, skepticism of his own life and times. Now I’ve done it, compiled a list of heroes. I can’t leave out Kurt Vonnegut; “Scum of the earth as some may be in their daily lives, they can all be saints in emergencies.” A treasure trove, he also left us with, “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
I have often referred to what I do as, playing with words. When others play that game so well that we collect their toys, it honors them and the toys themselves are great to have at hand, like canned sunshine for a dismal day. With pandemic looming like Damocles’ sword, I take comfort in my heroes.
Sometimes a new, unfamiliar quote moves you to think, ‘I wish I had said that.’ They are the ones you want to keep on a short leash. I think of Willie Sutton, the famous bank robber. When asked why he robbed so many banks he answered mater-of-factly, “That’s where they keep the money.” I can’t resist Yogi Berra quotes, not because they are funny but for his unpolished phrasing and unspoiled persona. If anybody else had spoken such, it would not have raised a ripple. Who but Yogi Berra would say, “You can observe a lot just by watching.” If I want to wax profound I turn to someone like Carl Sagan who, unlike Yogi, was about as sophisticated and refined as humanly possible. He made the distinction, “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” He also noted that, “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.” Milking a little more of the profound I concede to Joseph Campbell, “Life is without meaning. You bring the meaning to it. Being alive is the meaning.”
The nature of quotes you are drawn to creates a good window into the psyche of the collector. It allows one to discover the scope of their own humor, their own moral compass and just who their heroes are. I never really thought I had heroes, certainly not sports figures or movie stars. Still by whatever hook you hang them on, they are the people who model in the flesh what you aspire to in theory.
Back in the 1990’s, the fad was rubber wristbands embossed with WWJD. People bought and then gifted them to others who noticed and inquired. I worked with another teacher who wore half a dozen on each wrist. I didn’t then, don’t now have a clue what Jesus would do. At the time it was less about love and forgiveness and more of exclusive inclusion in a self righteous, privileged culture. I don’t think he would have approved what they were doing in his name. A WWMTD wristband would have suited me better. Mark Twain would be another hero, steeped in a clear eyed, skepticism of his own life and times. Now I’ve done it, compiled a list of heroes. I can’t leave out Kurt Vonnegut; “Scum of the earth as some may be in their daily lives, they can all be saints in emergencies.” A treasure trove, he also left us with, “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
I have often referred to what I do as, playing with words. When others play that game so well that we collect their toys, it honors them and the toys themselves are great to have at hand, like canned sunshine for a dismal day. With pandemic looming like Damocles’ sword, I take comfort in my heroes.
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