20 Quotes of Wisdom (Part I)

Most books I read are full of underlined words, with notes in the columns. I do this because my memory is awful and later I can return to the book and recall those passages I found important or interesting.

The following twenty quotes are all from books I have read, or in a couple cases, from the mouth directly. None have I gathered from a book of quotes.

“For the mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for. Without a concrete idea of what he is living for, man would refuse to live, would rather exterminate himself than remain on this earth, even if bread were scattered all around him.”⸺Fyodor Dostoevsky as The Grand Inquisitor in The Brothers Karamazov.

“Whenever you go out-of-doors, draw the chin in, carry the crown of the head high, and fill the lungs to the utmost; drink in the sunshine; greet your friends with a smile, and put soul into every handclasp. Do not fear being misunderstood and do not waste a minute thinking about your enemies. Try to fix firmly in your mind what you would like to do; and then, without veering off direction, you will move straight to the goal. Keep your mind on the great and splendid things you would like to do, and then, as the days go gliding away, you will find yourself unconsciously seizing upon the opportunities that are required for the fulfillment of your desire, just as the coral insect takes from the running tide the element it needs. Picture in your mind the able, earnest, useful person you desire to be, and the thought you hold is hourly transforming you into that particular individual. . . . Thought is supreme. Preserve a right mental attitude—the attitude of courage, frankness, and good cheer. To think rightly is to create. All things come through desire and every sincere prayer is answered. We become like that on which our hearts are fixed. Carry your chin in and the crown of your head high. We are gods in the chrysalis.”—Elbert Hubbard

“We must not lose touch with what we were, with what we had been, nor must we allow the well of our history to dry up, for a child without tradition is a child crippled before the world. Tradition can also be an anchor of stability and a shield to guard one from irresponsibility and hasty decisions.”—Louis L'Amour as Barnabas Sackett in To the Far Blue Mountains.

“. . . the scarlet letter had endowed her with a new sense . . . it gave her a sympathetic knowledge of the hidden sin in other hearts . . . that the outward guise of purity was but a lie, and that, if truth were everywhere to be shown, a scarlet letter would blaze forth on many a bosom besides Hester Prynne's.”—Nathaniel Hawthorne referring to the thoughts of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter.

“But man is not made for defeat . . . A man can be destroyed, but not defeated.”—Ernest Hemingway as Santiago as he struggles to bring in a huge fish in The Old Man and the Sea.

“Attitude effects our thoughts, our thoughts affect our words, our words affect our behavior, and our behavior determines our character. Character is the summation of what we have done and who we have become. Our character is a reflection of our attitude. Attitude works best when we vigilantly look for and trust the small and subtle nudges that come from a higher power. Attitude works best when we keep an open heart to receive those sacred suggestions. Positive attitude is cultivated by giving simple, silent, and self-effacing service. Positive attitude increases and expands when we allow our minds time to meditate, ponder, and pray. Attitude works best when we have the courage to make those small changes we see, hear, and feel. Attitude is what guides us to become great. Great people create and accomplish great things. Greatness doesn't happen overnight. Greatness comes with practice. Greatness requires effort. Everything worthwhile in life requires effort. Commit yourself to being great!”—Jeff Griffin from his book, I'm Possible.

“Dependability is a greater asset than ability.”—Danny Shumway

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest though the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”—Jesus from The Sermon on the Mount.

“The pessimist resembles a man who observes with fear and sadness that his wall calendar, from which he daily tears a sheet, grows thinner with each passing day. On the other hand, the person who attacks the problems of life actively is like the man who removes each successive leaf from his calendar and files it neatly and carefully away with its predecessors, after first having jotted down a few diary notes on the back. He can reflect with pride and joy on all the richness set down in these notes, on all the life he has already lived to the fullest. What will it matter to him if he notices he is growing old? Has he any reason to envy the young people whom he sees, or wax nostalgic over his own lost youth? What reasons has he to envy a young person? For the possibilities that a young person has, the future which is in store for him? 'No, thank you,' he will think. 'Instead of possibilities, I have realities in my past, not only the reality of work done and love loved, but of sufferings bravely suffered. These sufferings are the things of which I am most proud, though these are the things which cannot inspire envy.'”—Viktor Frankel in Man's Search For Meaning.

“The Master said, 'It is these things that cause me concern: failure to cultivate virtue, failure to go more deeply into what I have learned, inability, when I am told what is right, to move to where it is, and inability to reform myself when I have defects.'”—Confucius, from The Analects.

“The wise man works without working, he is employed without being employed, he savors that which is without savor. Great things or small things, many or few, are equal in his eyes. He repays injuries with kindness. He begins with easy things when considering hard things; and with little things when planning great things. The hardest things in the world began of necessity by being easy. The greatest things in the world began of necessity by being small. Therefore the Saint seeks not at all to do great things; this is why he can accomplish great things. He who promises lightly, rarely keeps his word. He who finds many things easy, of necessity meets them with difficulties. Therefore the Saint finds all things difficult; that is why, to his life's end, he meets with no difficulties.”—Lao Tzu, from the Tao Te Ching.

“Over my nine and a half decades of life, I have concluded that counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. No matter our situation, showing gratitude for our privileges is a fast-acting and long-lasting spiritual prescription. Does gratitude spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief and pain? No, but it does soothe our feelings. It provides us with a greater perspective on the the very purpose and joy of life.”—President Russell M. Nelson

“A family is a great arrangement that God has provided for men like myself, because even a man like me must have someone in the world to love him...”—Fyodor Dostoevsky as Nikolai Ilyich Snegirev in The Brothers Karamazov.

“Without a plan they rove, searching for work to occupy them, and what they end up doing is not what they have intended to do but whatever they have bumped into; they scurry around without aim or purpose like ants crawling through bushes, that idly make their way to the top of some twig and then to the bottom: it is a life like this that most men lead, one that might justly be described as a restless idleness.”—Lucius Annaeus Seneca

“My counsel to those who judge . . . is to become a light, not a judge—in other words, to stop trying to change their spouse and just go to work on themselves, to get out of a judging mind-set, to stop trying to manipulate or give love conditionally.”—Stephen R. Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families.

“For every challenge, remember the resources you have within you to cope with it. Provoked by the sight of a handsome man or a beautiful woman, you will discover within you the contrary power of self-restraint. Faced with pain, you will discover the power of endurance. If you are insulted, you will discover patience. In time, you will grow to be confident that there is not a single impression that you will not have the moral means to tolerate.”—Epictetus, from the Enchiridion.

“There are no bad herbs, and no bad men; there are only bad cultivations.”—Victor Hugo as Monsieur Madeleine in Les Miserables.

“Temperance.⸺Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation. Silence.⸺Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. Order.⸺Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time. Resolution.⸺Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. Frugality.⸺Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing. Industry.⸺Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions. Sincerity.⸺Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly. Justice.⸺Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty. Moderation.⸺Avoid extremes; forbear resenting inquiries so much as you think they deserve. Cleanliness.⸺Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloths, or habitation. Tranquility.⸺Be not disturbed at trifles or at accidents common or unavoidable. Chastity.⸺Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation. Humility.⸺Imitate Jesus or Socrates.”—13 virtues with their precepts from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

“The idea that each of us has the ability to prevent evil from entering the world through us personally means that we each posses a degree of influence. This means that through our decisions—big and small—we determine whether good or evil is allowed to flourish.”—Bryan Hyde from the Fifty-two Seven Alliance.

“A wagoner was driving his team along a muddy lane with a full load behind them, when the wheels of his wagon sank so deep in the mire that no efforts of his horses could move them. As he stood there, looking helplessly on, and calling loudly at intervals upon Hercules for assistance, the god himself appeared, and said to him, 'Put your shoulder to the wheel, man, and goad on your horses, and then you may call on Hercules to assist you. If you won't lift a finger to help yourself, you can't expect Hercules or any one else to come to your aid.'”—from Hercules and the Wagoner in Aesop's Fables. ♠

The Wisdom of Seneca

 

Córdoba, Spain is an ancient city. Over time it has been ruled by Romans, Visigoths, Muslims and Christians. A gigantic mosque, now converted to a cathedral, is an impressive icon of the city. During Muslim rule Córdoba became a caliphate and was a world leader in education. 

While visiting there in March of 2011 my wife and I found a passageway near our hotel. Through an arch, we walked up a flight of stone stairs that led to a very narrow pedestrian walkway. Three-story cement buildings lined both sides of the lane, their white-washed walls so close you could stretch out your arms like wings and touch both ends with your fingertips. 

We followed the route for a few minutes when it came to a small, but quaint plaza. A tavern sat at the far end and a handful of well manicured trees grew along the square. A short set of steps led toward a fountain of water that ran into a shallow pool. On the other side of the pool, on a pedestal, stood a beheaded Roman statue. It was none other than Lucius Annaeus Seneca. 

Statue of Lucius Annaeus Seneca.

 

Seneca was born in Roman Córdoba within a year of the birth of Christ. His father studied rhetoric and was of Italian descent, while he came from Spanish ancestry on his mother's side. His older brother, Junius Gallio, once met the Apostle Paul. (Acts 18:12) 

As a young boy he was sent to Rome to gain an education. During his academic pursuits he studied literacy, history and philosophy. Two of his teachers had been pupils of Quintus Sextius, a Roman philosopher who combined Pythagoreanism with Stoicism. Seneca spent time in Egypt after becoming sick, and was later exiled to Corsica after being falsely accused of committing adultery with the Emperor's sister. 

Seneca became a tutor and adviser to the Emperor Nero. This must have been a challenge as Nero is well known in history for his brutal character. At the age of 64, Nero ordered Seneca to commit suicide. He complied by killing himself in the same manner as Socrates, by drinking poison. 

My visit to Córdoba and discovery of the statue sparked an interest in Seneca. It also initiated an interest in the Stoic philosophy of which Seneca adhered. The more I studied the more I realized that many Stoic principles either make up who I am, or what I strive to become. 

Recently I read a book entitled Dialogues and Essays, which contain (long) letters Seneca wrote to friends, in which he gives practical advice using Stoic ideology. He recommends frugality, moderation, optimism, temperance, virtue, courage, and anything that benefits the soul, rather than pleases the body. 

I believe our modern world could benefit from the wisdom of Seneca. We live in a world that indulges in pleasure, while scarcely giving thought to morality. 

Roman Temple in Córdoba, built during the lifetime of Seneca.

 

What follows is a list of my favorite quotes. It could be much, much longer, but I painstakingly thinned it out. 

“We see wrestlers, who concern themselves with physical strength, matching themselves with only the strongest opponents, and requiring those who prepare them for a bout to use all their strength against them; they expose themselves to blows and hurt, and if they do not find one man to match them, they take on several at a time. Excellence withers without adversary; the time for us to see how great it is, how much its force, is when it displays its power through endurance. I ensure you, good men should do the same: they should not be afraid to face hardships and afflictions, or complain of fate; whatever happens, good men should take it in good part, and turn it to a good end; it is not what you endure that matters, but how you endure it.” 

“Shun luxury, shun good fortune that makes men weak and causes their minds to grow sodden, and, unless something happens to remind them of their human lot, they waste away, lulled to sleep, as it were, in a drunkenness that has no end.” 

“No tree is sturdy or firm-rooted without enduring many an assault from the wind; for the battering itself makes it tighten its grip and fix its roots more securely; trees that have grown in a sunny valley lack strength. Accordingly it is expedient even for good men, in order that they may be fearless, to spend much time in fearful pursuits, and to endure with a patient mind things that are bad only to the one who bears them badly.” 

“Very many men manufacture complaints, either by suspecting what is untrue or by exaggerating the unimportant. Anger often comes to us, but more often we come to it.” 

“How much better it is to heal a wrong than to avenge one!” 

“Show gratitude for what you have received; wait for the remainder, and be happy that your cup is not yet full; it is a form of pleasure to have something left to hope for.” 

“The man who has anticipated the coming of troubles takes away their power when they arrive.” 

Roman Bridge in Córdoba, Spain.

 

“Let virtue go first, let her carry the standard: we will nonetheless have pleasure, but we shall be her master and control her; sometimes we will accede to her entreaty, never to her compulsion. But those who have yielded first place to pleasure lack both; for they lose virtue, and and yet they do not posses pleasure but are themselves possessed by pleasure, being tortured by the lack of it or choked by its excess, miserable if it abandons them, more miserable if it overwhelms them.” 

“All life is servitude. A man should therefore grow accustomed to his state and complain about it as little as possible, seizing upon whatever good it may have: no condition is so distressing that a balanced mind cannot find some comfort in it.” 

“Without a plan they rove, searching for work to occupy them, and what they end up doing is not what they have intended to do but whatever they have bumped into; they scurry around without aim or purpose like ants crawling through bushes, that idly make their way to the top of some twig and then to the bottom: it is a life like this that most men lead, one that might justly be described as a restless idleness.'” 

“We must, therefore, take a less serious view of all things, tolerating them in a spirit of acceptance: it is more human to laugh at life than to weep tears over it.” 

“It is, however, necessary to combine the two things, solitude and the crowd, and to have recourse to them alternately: the former will make us long for people, the latter for ourselves, and the one will be a cure for the other: our distaste for the crowd will be cured by solitude, our boredom with solitude by the crowd.”  

“Nature's intention was that we should need no great equipment for living in happiness: every one of us is capable of making himself happy. Little importance is to be attached to external things, and they cannot posses great influence in either direction: the wise man is neither raised up by prosperity nor cast down by adversity; for always he has striven to rely predominantly on himself, and to derive all joy from himself.”  

“Excessive prosperity does indeed create greed in men, and never are desires so well controlled that they vanish once satisfied.”  

“Sadness blunts the mind's powers, scattering and restricting them; not even when disaster strikes him personally will this happen to the wise man, but instead he will beat back all of Fortune's anger and smash it first; he will always maintain the same calm, unperturbed appearance, an impossible thing to do if he were susceptible to sadness.” ♠