I’m not sure the holiday season effects you this way, but I tend to get quite reflective, thinking back to my childhood, when my kids were little, and how wonderful and warm this time of year can be. I sincerely hope it’s that way this year for all of you.
In the midst of these reflections, I was also thinking about things people said that have had an impact on me in one way or another. My Dad, who was a master with words and one-liners, had of course the greatest impact and impressed upon me the importance of remembering the good things I heard. So allow me to share with you a few of my favorite random yet somewhat appropriate lines on this Tuesday before Christmas.
Some make me smile:
-An optimist is someone who, after jumping off the top of the Empire State Building and passing the 50th floor, says “So far, so good”.
-An optimist is a little boy who, after spending an hour in a room full of horse manure, is still quite happy because he thinks, “there’s got to be a pony in here somewhere”.
-Love is blind but the neighbors aren’t.
-Before you criticize someone, you should first walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes.
-There’s no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.
Some give good advice:
-Generally speaking, you aren’t learning much when your lips are moving.
-A closed mouth gathers no foot.
-Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
-“Be slow in choosing a friend; slower in changing.” – Benjamin Franklin
-“The only way to have a friend is to be one.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Some provide good thoughts about life:
-Life is a stage and we are all acting.
-Life isn’t a dress rehearsal, it’s Opening Night.
-Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.
-“90% of life is showing up.” – Woody Allen
-“Your life is framed by the decisions you make.” – Martin Landau in Crimes & Misdemeanors.
And some are quite thought provoking:
-“Some people look at the glass as half-full, some people look at the glass as half-empty, I’m extremely grateful I have a glass,” – Jesse Martin, University of Denver hockey player, recovering from a devastating hockey injury that required surgery on a broken neck.
-“Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.” – Jerry Garcia
-If you tell the truth, you never have to remember anything.
-The view from the high road is always better.
-Integrity is what you do when no one is watching.
I’m very grateful to all of you for reading my ramblings every week. It means a lot to me. I’d like to especially thank my wonderful wife, Laura, who’s been my editor and counselor, ever since I surprised her with the first blog in September.
I’m going to take next week off, being its Christmas and all, but I’ll be back on January 4. So until then, I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
