Collecting Words of Wisdom

Written by Wendi Kelly - August 29, 2008 32 Comments

I believe I have mentioned before that my mother is one of the wisest women I know. You may feel that way about your mother as well. Or your grandmother. Fathers and Grandfathers too I suppose, there is no gender bias intended here at all. It just happens to be that for me, I often feel as if I should be following my mother around with pen and paper, collecting the little pearls that drop unwittingly out of her mouth when she opens her mouth to speak.

She is after all the hometown originator of CAN and WILL and BELIEVE. Although, as I have mentioned in a previous post, I had to go and pay good money to someone else to really understand the wisdom of those words. Sometimes when a Mother speaks, it takes awhile for the children to grow up enough to learn to listen.

I’m old enough now to unashamedly think my mother is brilliant. ( Yes, that makes me a grandmother, no reason for you to bring that up.)

This morning, speaking with my mother on the phone, we were discussing the subject of self-respect and the puzzlement of why a certain otherwise intelligent, creative, successful woman had such difficulty meeting nice men. I could hear my mother breath out an exasperated breath on the phone before she exclaimed somewhat impatiently, “Well, where does she meet them? You gonna find a mink coat in the Five and Dime?” 

Words to live by indeed. In fact, words she had raised me by. ( ahem…it took me awhile to listen to that one too.)

My mother sees the world in interesting pictures. It has behooved me to finally listen. Just a few of her words of Wisdom include:

You want to be treated like a diamond, don’t act like a stone.

Your mother may love you but no one else has to. Be nice or be lonely.

The only thing CAN’T ever did was sit down and DIE.

People who are bored are boring. Find something that interests you and you will become interesting to others.

She has many, many others. I have decided I really do need to follow her around and collect them up into a book of Wisdom Tidbits from Mothers. We really should pay more attention.

Mothers aren’t the only ones out there spewing out fountians of brillaint advice. We could save ourselves SO MANY HOURS, DAYS, MONTHS MAYBE YEARS if we would learn from others instead of being the hard-headed ( um..me..)types who felt the need to re-invent all of the mistakes by ourselves (OK. myself then)  Some of the ones I wish I had paid more attention to on the younger side of life rather then on the Wack On the Side of the Head side of Life are:

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

Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must first set yourself on fire.
~Fred Shero

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too, can become great.
~Mark Twain

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
~Mother Teresa

Until you are happy with who you are, you will never be happy with what you have.
~Zig Zigler

Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion.
~Jim Rohn

Life is Difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. One we truly know that life is difficult-once we truly understand and accept it- then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.
~M. Scott Peck, MD

 

OK, now it is your turn. What have you learned from others, or your own journeys through life that you would like to add to our Words of Wisdom? It can be from your own parents, friends or favorite quotes. How about your own Fountain of Advice? I’m all ears, and ready to listen. Let’s chat!

 

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Read the Comments

32 Outstanding Responses to "Collecting Words of Wisdom"

    Barbara Swafford on August 30, 2008 at 7:14 am • Permalink

    Hi Wendi,

    I just realized your RSS feed has changed. Thank goodness Alex linked to you and I saw you had posts I missed. I resubscribed.

    I love this line, “People who are bored are boring.” I have a friend who used to use it on her teenage daughter. The first time I heard it, it made me think. There’s a lot of truth to it.

    Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Plugins, Questions and Open Mic

    Melissa Donovan on August 30, 2008 at 7:29 am • Permalink

    I love inspiring quotes, and I’ve heard a lot of them this past week. I’m a big fan of “can” so I’ll just be a little echo out here in the comments and reiterate one of the pearls of wisdom you shared:

    Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too, can become great.
    ~Mark Twain

    That is the mark of a great person, a hero, and a leader. When someone makes you feel like you can achieve your dreams, well, that’s who I want to cling to.

    Melissa Donovan’s last blog post..Don’t Think, Just Write

    Wendi on August 30, 2008 at 12:59 pm • Permalink

    Melissa,

    The hardest part about writing this post was picking the ones to highlight! I have books and boks with highlighted quotes!

    But you nailed that…I learned a long time ago to walk away from people who are dream stompers.

    That’s why we are dream-weavers and builders here!

    Wendi on August 30, 2008 at 1:02 pm • Permalink

    Barbara,

    Agh~ should I put up a sign? What do you recommend? I should go ask how to handle this problem at your site!

    I am glad you figured it out…Now I need all my other subscribers to come and find me…
    Hello out there…..

    Anyway… IF we EVER DARED to tell my mother we were bored, we would get a list of chores that would take all day to complete. I have NEVER been boring or bored. I can always think of something to do!!! LOL!

    Kelly on August 30, 2008 at 1:03 pm • Permalink

    Wendi,

    I am such a quotation collector—the Fred Shero quote is going right into my notebook of best evers!

    Two I love that seem to fit here:

    Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way. And don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.
    —Satchel Paige

    Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.
    —Will Rogers

    Regards,

    Kelly

    Kelly’s last blog post..Happy Small Business Friday: The Merriment Post

    Wendi on August 30, 2008 at 1:42 pm • Permalink

    Kelly,
    I just knew that you would have some good ones! I especially love Even if you are on the right track you’ll get run over if you just sit there. Oh gosh, how true is that!

    Don’t you just LOVE the Fred Shiro one?!

    I have used that as my signature on my e-mail over the years. And when I taught my “Enthusiasm Sells” class that was the quote I put on the packet cover.

    Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome on August 30, 2008 at 3:47 pm • Permalink

    I have a horrible memory, so I can’t list any great words here, but I find a lot of great lessons in Winnie the Pooh and the two Alice books.

    Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome’s last blog post..Insecure People are Self-Absorbed and Egotistical

    Barbara Swafford on August 30, 2008 at 6:31 pm • Permalink

    Hi Wendi,

    If you have a chance, go over to my latest post and leave a comment to let others know your feed has changed. Now that I have a comments RSS feed, I’m hoping many will see your comment.. If that doesn’t end up working, you could notify your old readers via an email or by individual comments on their sites.

    Have a great weekend!

    Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Plugins, Questions and Open Mic

    steph on August 30, 2008 at 9:03 pm • Permalink

    My favourite line ever, I think, is from the Lord of Rings. In fact, there’s tons of great wisdom there. But this line in particular comes from Gandalf to Frodo: “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

    So much is loaded into that fantastic sentence. It comes from this sequence:

    Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

    Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.

    steph on August 30, 2008 at 9:05 pm • Permalink

    Another of my favourites is from Buddha: ‘Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart, give yourself to it.”

    steph’s last blog post..A New Day, A New Look

    Melissa Donovan on August 30, 2008 at 9:33 pm • Permalink

    @Wendi, I wish it were so easy to walk away. Sometimes you can’t. They (the dream stompers) are family members or co-workers… but I’m starting to look at is a challenge to flip the coin on them, and instead of letting them squash my dreams, I’d like to inflate theirs ;) I’m sneaky like that…

    Melissa Donovan’s last blog post..Don’t Think, Just Write

    Wendi on August 31, 2008 at 5:41 pm • Permalink

    Melissa,
    I love the idea of flipping the coin and turning the dream stoppers on their heads…sneaky yes…but good for them any way…hehehee

    Steph,

    I love the Buddha quote…that just about sums it up…discover your world and give your heart to it. Why does that seem so simple when it feels so hard?

    I think I like the Gandolf one the best of the LOTR ones All we have to do is decide how to spend our time…great advice….

    Wendi on August 31, 2008 at 5:42 pm • Permalink

    Barbara,
    Thank you for such a generous offer. I will go do that!

    Alex,

    Yes, Pooh and Alex have great wisdom to share. I have both of their complete works. I’ll see what I can find!

    Wendi on August 31, 2008 at 5:43 pm • Permalink

    Alex,

    Heeeheeee,
    Was that silly or what…I meant ALICE..not ALEX…but YOU have a lot of great wisdom too.

    Stacey / Create a Balance on September 1, 2008 at 12:18 am • Permalink

    One of my favorite quotes from my mom is “this too shall pass”. She first started telling me this when my kids were little babies…and every time it was true.

    Stacey / Create a Balance’s last blog post..Sunday’s Strike on Perfection

    Karen Swim on September 1, 2008 at 2:20 am • Permalink

    In addition to your VP of the World title you are forever crowed Wise Wendi! :-) Many of your mother’s words reminded me of of my own mother’s words of wisdom. I love the Mark Twain quote, that is a definite keeper. One of my recent favorites is “hope is not a plan.” That has helped me to take my hopes and then get moving to make them happen. I hope you do collect your mother’s pearls and put them in a book – I will be first in line to buy multiple copies!

    Jenny on September 1, 2008 at 6:30 am • Permalink

    “I truly and sincerely believe if you laugh today, ti will make tomorrow better!” Garry marshall

    Garry said this on the TVLand Awards show this year and I abslolutely fell in love with it because it’s true. I’ve been meaning to do a post on it, but the inspiration hasn’t struck yet!

    Jenny’s last blog post..Holy Macaroni!

    Amy Derby on September 1, 2008 at 4:45 pm • Permalink

    I think this says it all:

    “Sometimes when a Mother speaks, it takes awhile for the children to grow up enough to learn to listen.”

    I love your mom quotes. :-)

    Amy Derby’s last blog post..Corporate Jungle: Communication Survival Kit

    Lance on September 2, 2008 at 2:11 am • Permalink

    I love these tidbits of information – they are all just as relevant to all our lives today as they were when they were first spoken.

    A couple of quotes I like:
    ” What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. ~ Yiddish Proverb

    “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” — Helen Keller

    Your mother is a very wise lady! You are lucky to have her in your life.

    Lance’s last blog post..Sunday Thought For The Day

    Jenny on September 2, 2008 at 2:54 pm • Permalink

    “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” – Eleanor Roosevelt

    “The trouble with the rat race is that even when you win, you’re still a rat.” – Lily Tomlin

    Jenny’s last blog post..Holy Macaroni!

    Wendi on September 2, 2008 at 3:08 pm • Permalink

    Jenny,

    Hahahahaha,

    Rats! She’s right! The only way out is not to be in the rat race to begin with!

    And I should have had the Eleanor Roosevelt one in there. That one is a classic.

    Oh, you guys…This is goooooood! How fun!

    Lance, I am very lucky to have my mother, you can ask Jenny, she knows her too. She is not only very wise, she is also one of the funniest people you will ever meet. Think Carol Burnett meets Lucille Ball with inspiriational thoughts that make you go Hmmm..after you are done laughing your head off and that will get you my Mom.

    Oh and Hellen Keller is an inspirational Quote just on her name alone. She was amazing. But that is a good one from her. Here is another:

    “One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.”

    Wendi on September 2, 2008 at 3:12 pm • Permalink

    Amy,

    Thanks, My Mom quotes really do need to go into a book. I am seriously starting to write them down. I wouls also collect other peoples Mom quotes too.If anyone wanted to share them. I guess I need legal permission to use them right? How does this work when people write quote books of other people’s quotes? I see them all the time. DO they have to get permision to reprint every single quote?

    Wendi on September 2, 2008 at 3:18 pm • Permalink

    Jenny,
    I think you should just start writing that post…don’t wait for inspiration to strike, that’s like waiting to get inspired to diet. Just do it! You can be all inspired after we read it!

    Karen,

    HOPE is NOT a PLAN.
    perfect. Should be put right up there with CAN, WILL and BELIEVE.

    I love it. Gee…Wise Wendi is a lot to live up to…hmmm…it’s a process I guess…wise enough to try and learn from my mistakes…but silly and human enough to keep making new ones!
    Onward toward more things to learn!

    Wendi on September 2, 2008 at 3:24 pm • Permalink

    Hi Stacey,
    Welcome!
    This Too Shall Pass has a very special significant meaning for me. I actually hung a written sign of that on my bathroom mirror when I was sixteen years old, living alone in my green apartment with my baby who was sick in the hospital and I had no insurance.I use to look at that sign and then squeeze my eyes shut and visualize a future where she would be older, healthy and we would have a house and financial health and happiness and I had a career to support us.

    It all came true. But those four words gave me hope and faith that the present moment I was in did not NEED to determine my future.
    They are VERY powerful words and my mother gave them to me as well.

    Writer Dad on September 3, 2008 at 7:15 pm • Permalink

    Your mom is awesome. Seriously, I love my mom, and she gave me lots of language, but her wise words were from Confuscious, and she aped them from a fortune cookie.

    Writer Dad’s last blog post..I Heart Movies

    Wendi on September 3, 2008 at 7:49 pm • Permalink

    Writer Dad,
    That just seriously cracked me up! LOL!

    Lindsay on September 4, 2008 at 6:13 am • Permalink

    Your mother sounds awesome. :)

    I have books full of quotations I’ve collected over the years too. Here’s one that’s too long for a bumper sticker, but which has always been a favorite of mine:

    “All men and women are born, live suffer and die; what distinguishes us one from another is our dreams, whether they be dreams about worldly or unworldly things, and what we do to make them come about… We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing. We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death. But within this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we live.”
    -Joseph Epstein

    Lindsay’s last blog post..Building Wealth with Continuity Products

    Jenny on September 4, 2008 at 2:00 pm • Permalink

    @Lindsay

    That quote is unbelieveably thought provoking to me! Everything it states is completely true and we are in control of how we live. I will be thinking about this quote all day now! Thanks!

    Jenny’s last blog post..Holy Macaroni!

    Patricia on September 6, 2008 at 8:52 pm • Permalink

    Hi Wendy
    I came across your blog through Michael and I really enjoyed it. I’m from Argentina so my blog is in Spanish. I hope you can visit it sometime (I can help you with translation problems) I’m also a fan collector of words of wisdom , I’ve been doing it since my teenage years so I love reading them.
    I’ll choose one of your mother’s today one that I say to my kids :
    Your mother loves you but no one else has to. Always treat others as you want to be treated.
    Love
    Patricia

    Mistress O on September 7, 2008 at 12:00 am • Permalink

    Of all the beautiful, inspiring, “deep” quotations, this simple one is a favorite and is copied and hangs in my room. It is the first and final thing I read each day.

    “Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.”
    -Danny Kaye

    Wendi on September 7, 2008 at 1:03 pm • Permalink

    Mistress O,

    How wonderful to see you first thing this beautiful Sunday moring as I just finished my morning meditation. What a great quote to come here to! I love it and I am copying it for myself right now in my quote book! Thanks!

    Wendi on September 8, 2008 at 2:37 pm • Permalink

    Hi Patrica,

    How nice of you to come and visit. I think what Michael is doing is wonderful. I would love to come and visit your blog but I don’t speak a word of spanish. My son is in his third year of learning so he said he will come and visit with me after school some time this week. That will be fun. See you then!