Thoughts on Angels and Demons
"Yes, I believe in guardian angels, because otherwise I must believe that life is a string of death-defying miracles -- and I don't believe in miracles."
"Why should I not believe that there are angels when I know for a fact that there are demons?"
Thoughts on Parenting and Choice
"As parents we do not awaken each day to an array of choices. We awaken to a clear duty born of the choice we have made. And to what have we sacrificed our freedom? To the life we wish to live and to the people we wish to live it with."
"Those who avoid the tough choices of life live a life they never chose."
"We structure our lives to keep open our choices and so become enslaved to our freedom. To live the life of one's choice, one must choose."
"I have made my choices in life. I carry them as snapshots in my wallet."
"We complain of having our love taken for granted, until the day it is not, and then we realize that there is nothing we want so much."
"There have been days when I sought respite from my life, only to find myself calling every hour to check on it."
"If life is theater, then parenting is improv."
Thoughts on Politicians
"The chief merit of the U.S. Congress is that it keeps 535 of the country's most advanced cases of megalomania under close observation."
"Built into the human DNA is the double helix, or as observed in the human politician, the double cross."
Thoughts on Language and Liberty
"The French deem themselves a superior race based chiefly on their ability to speak superior French."
"More than any other language, English is the language of constitutional democracy. The American democracy, for one, is framed in a language so exquisitely precise that it cannot be said to exist apart from its language. Given this history, English-speaking people may be forgiven for insisting upon the exclusive use of their language in their public discourse."
"If a language is corruptible, then a constitution written in that language is corruptible."
"Grammar is not a set of arbitrary rules; it is a compact between people who wish to understand each other."
"If I flout the rules of grammar, why should you expect me to honor any other social contract?"
"Do not be surprised when those who ignore the rules of grammar also ignore the law. After all, the law is just so much grammar."
~ Robert Brault
11 comments:
If only the Second Amendment had been written in English :)
Stopping by, taking a break from "MAJOR belated" spring cleaning... My English is a bit "dusty" from cleaning ;o)
I agree wholeheartedly with your comments about our language. There's nothing to add... your comments are perfect!
Je parle français... mais imparfaitement.
They did not tolerate my "French imperfections" in France!
All the best, ~Maria
Ps.I hope to read more of your thoughts on angels and miracles someday~
The two 'Choices' quote are great Robert...along with the angels and demons...and...
Oh, how I love the quotes about parenting and choosing - honestly, being a parent is the second greatest gift I've ever been given and being a grandparent is the greatest. All this joy because of the choices made years ago. Thank you!
I laughed at this one: "There have been days when I sought respite from my life, only to find myself calling every hour to check on it." I used to do this whenever I had a rare few days off from work. I wanted to get away, only to find that I couldn't stay away.
I loved all of the quotes on choice.
I believe in both angels and miracles. :)
A very quick thanks to all. I'm vacationing this week and have only rare chances to peek at the net. I do want to respond to your comments but will wait until I can steal a break from my leisure -- maybe by Monday.
(BTW, is there a followers' strike? I see that they've disappeared from everyone's blogs.)
smiles,
rb
Robert: No Followers strike---just a bug that affects some Internet Explorer users if you have the Followers gadget on your site. I had four people who would experience my site loading multiple times on their computers until it finally crashes the computer. It would also crash them every time they tried to leave a comment. Blogger admits it's a known problem but they have not been able to fix it yet, from what I can tell. I had to remove my Follower gadget from my site in order to be able to keep my Internet Explorer readers.
"Those who avoid the tough choices of life live a life they never chose."
Love this one. I know so many people who choose the 'safe' route which really is about avoiding choice.
Winston,
I think we agree on this. The 2nd Amendment exists because the framers anticipated a future infringement on the people's right to bear arms and sought to preclude any such infringement. The explanatory preface is not a qualifier. If they had intended to qualify this right, they might easily have done so; for example, "The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed among members of a state-regulated militia." We should not imagine qualifiers where they do not exist.
Maria,
As I learned last October, the trouble with trying to speak French in France is that they speak it back to you. Then you are exposed as the dolt you are (or the American you are, which is the same.)
Ken,
Thanks for the encouraging comment over on your site. You have convinced me to keep on with this blog -- you persuasive devil.
Jan,
The arrival of a grandchild is a wondrous thing, validating you as a parent and freeing you to become friends with your child. Other that that, it's nothing much.
Randi,
My followers box seems to be back and working. First they all disappeared; then they partially reappeared; then they they were all there but the links didn't work; now they seem to be normal. Could be demons!
Daisy,
Really pleased to have you drop in. It's been too long.
smiles,
rb
rb,
Having 4 brothers, 3 sons, and 2 grandsons...I believe in guardian angels. My boys keep an entire army of them in business!
--Liz
Liz,
I never realized that guardian angels were just for men. I guess that's why they're always pictured as women.
smiles,
rb
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