Cleaning out my mental attic today, I found a few residual thoughts. Not sure when I'll post next, but I still do have to clean out my closets.
"You know you're spending too much time alone when your solitude starts begging for a little privacy."
"There is a limit to how much you can change in order to be liked for who you are."
"Marriage is a multiplication of whatever you bring to it."
"One thing about parenting is the flexible hours, which can be any arrangement totaling 24/7."
"Meanwhile, Wall Street criminality is growing by leaps. There are no bounds."
"We've heard that ignorance of math in the U.S. is growing geometrically, whatever that means."
"Sometimes it's easier to forgive when you remember that you are not God and your forgiveness does not confer absolution."
"No matter how much we self-improve, our best friends like us for who we were."
Today's miscellaneous observation: "No couple likes to eat at another couple's favorite restaurant."
"Failure would be a bad thing if it didn't reopen so many opportunities."
"Every republic must periodically put down rebels determined to restore its constitution."
The last time I failed, it made me double my effort, and the results were so good, I'm thinking of failing again."
"The boss has asked all of us to re-double our efforts, although none of us can recall doubling our efforts."
It is believed that God briefly experimented with human immortality -- until He witnessed a child being spoiled by four great-grandmothers."
"Although we try to shield our kids from the ugly side of life, inevitably we must watch as they turn over every rock -- including the one we made certain we're sitting on."
"A modern-day measure of success is that by age 30 you have at least one character reference who is not someone who knows your parents."
"Ah, the America of old -- a place talked of by a stranger, who heard of it from a traveler on the road, who had it from a woman who spoke with great certainty of having heard tell of it."
Draw your own moral: "No snowstorm ever ends without a rumor that a second is on the way."
"Pretend you're kind and generous long enough and eventually you forget it's all an act."
"I heard someone on TV say that when you mix apples and oranges, you don't get facts, you get appearances. I thought you got that when you mixed apples and pears."
~~ Robert Brault
27 comments:
These are all so good that I can't even choose a favorite. But I will pick a few that really struck my fancy.
"You know you're spending too much time alone when your solitude starts begging for a little privacy."
"There is a limit to how much you can change in order to be liked for who you are."
"Meanwhile, Wall Street criminality is growing by leaps. There are no bounds."
(Well, I just stopped selecting, because I want to pick every one!)
Is there or will there ever be a book of your quotes? Because I would surely like to own one.
Your insights on kids are quite accurate, and can be applied practically on raising kids, have read few of your blogs.
Amazing how that works, isn't it - when we pretend that we are kind and generous long enough. Definitely gives me something to aspire to.
Love all your insights, as always!
Are you ending your post in April? I thought you were just going to do less post. I really enjoy your post and quote them quite often on my facebook page. Thank you for all the insight. Your post have brought me joy in this very rough last year. Lisa Stanley
Sue,
Thanks for the appreciation. I've decided I'm not going to self-publish a book or solicit a traditional book publisher. Some book publisher (or agent) will have to stumble across me.
Warrior White,
Welcome. I don't know how accurate ny child-raising ideas are, but I offer them without charge.
Jan,
You're so right. It also applies to acting as a guru in the blogosphere.
Lisa,
I'm delighted if my words have been of some small value. Thanks. I know two things -- that I don't want the requirement of blogging regularly, and I don't want to blog every now and then to a shrinking readership. Looking back on April -- and all my indecisive coming and going -- it seems to have worked out perfectly. I have posted only a couple of new things and yet my followers list has exploded upward by a 100. I don't understand it, but maybe I'll just keep it up for a while -- leaving one week, returning the next.
smiles,
rb
Ah, comments at last. I'm off to bed now but I'll be back in the morning to read through this lot.
"One thing about parenting is the flexible hours, which can be any arrangement totaling 24/7."
Amen.
Ken,
Bonne nuit, as the Brits in Brittany say.
Ms. Kristi,
Thanks for popping in. Mother of three under three? Maybe you can take up Soduku to fill the idle hours.
smiles,
rb
Of course, I like the ones about being yourself best. I like your attic.
What treasures have tumbled out of your attic, Robert! Thanks for sharing so generously. This quote had me laughing for a long time..:)
"Although we try to shield our kids from the ugly side of life, inevitably we must watch as they turn over every rock -- including the one we made certain we're sitting on."
Hi Robert
Attic, marriage , parenting, criminology, forgiveness, self-improvement, failure, republic, doubling efforts, shielding kids, America of old and apples & pears are my favourites today. The one that tickled me the most was..'The last time I failed,it made me double my effort, and the results were so good, I'm thinking of failing again.
I think every other week is good. Better still, just post when you want to. We'll be grateful regardless.
Hi Robert,
I love reading your blog. You have a lot to offer - please carry on posting when you can. Isn't giving out these bon mots the best way to ensure you get new ones dropping into your head?
Cheers
Dave
Over the years, I have realised that "reflective happiness" is much sweeter than "happiness". Just to illustrate what I mean by "reflective happiness" : its the "happiness" that one derives from the "happiness" of the close ones!! The lively exchange at your site gave me just that Robert. Much appreciated
Maxie,
There you go being you again. I'll have to invite you up to my attic some time to see my sketches.
khushi,
Fortunately, most of the ghastly things you find under rocks are just trying to mind their own business.
Ken,
You are a hard man to please, my friend. (smile)
Dave,
Welcome -- and thanks. I had actually not thought of my stuff as "droppings" before.
Raj,
As I once said, "It is only happiness if it is inseparable from the happiness of someone else."
smiles all,
rb
"Meanwhile, Wall Street criminality is growing by leaps. There are no bounds."
How true and how Sad at the same time. And this one I hope never comes to be.
"Ah, the America of old -- a place talked of by a stranger, who heard of it from a traveler on the road, who had it from a woman who spoke with great certainty of having heard tell of it."
Marlene,
I share your hope, of course. I want to say how much I admire the original abstract paintings you posted on your site today. I urge readers here to click on your name, above, and take a peek.
smiles,
rb
You make me laugh!! That is much needed in my life and I seek it at every opportunity. Sketches in your attic? Bless you Robert!
HOW do you do this????!!!!!!!
Admiringly,
Patricia.
Thank you so much for your kind comments and I thank you for this definition:
"A really good abstract artist makes you realize that God never intended reality to be taken literally." I like it better than any of the others I found.
So glad you are sharing your "attic cleaning" with us! Please keep on! I enjoy reading what you have to say so much - you say it exactly as it is! - and I sure enjoy sharing your writing with others on my blog. Stay with us!
Maxie,
Good morning. Just been browsing "Maxie's Life Unfinished" in open-mouthed wonder at your latest offerings. You are soooooooo good!
patriciapaddey,
Thanks, good friend. I do it by sitting every day in front of a keyboard, shuffling words around, while other kids are out playing.
Marlene,
Thanks for the inspiration. It occurs to me that a more general observation might be, "Life would be more fun if we didn't take reality so literally."
april,
Thank you. I would place a heavy bet that I will be popping in here before the next blue moon.
smiles all,
rb
"I heard someone on TV say that when you mix apples and oranges, you don't get facts, you get appearances. I thought you got that when you mixed apples and pears."
.......you are right indeed...tv commentators are there to inject wrong stuffs into heads...
any way a confused imagery let us think more...
debacles brings out our potentials much ...as you say.
the post is much ineteresting....
rgrds/salu.
salu,
Greetings. If I had a second chance at this one, I would simply say, "When you mix apples and pears, don't be surprised if you get appearances."
smiles,
rb
Hi Sir.. i'm so glad that i had this chance to thank you for all your brilliant ideas.. it really gets into my heart word for word.. i really loved those lines about parenting and forgiveness..
With all my respect and thanks,
Lucil
lucil_27,
A warm welcome to The Reader and thank you for your gracious words.
smiles,
rb
Nice site. Love your quotes. I keep a list to read in my tent at night on backcountry camping excursions, both for motivation and just pondering. I am bookmarking your site for sure! Thanks for the insight and please keep 'em coming.
Regards,
--Todd F.--
Todd,
Thanks for kind words. You strike me as a modern-day Thoreau, the woodsman ponderer. Me, I look out at a wooded scene from my window, and it seems to do me no harm. I occasionally find a thought sprouting high up in the trees.
smiles,
rb
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