Just a Little Bit of Star Quality
I’m a personality as well as an actress. Show me an actress who isn’t a personality, and you’ll show me a woman who isn’t a star.
— Katherine Hepburn
On Justice
Many that live deserve death. And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends.
— J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord Of the Rings
Where Did You Meet God Today?
I did not write this, but I love it. It reminds me that God is often found in unexpected places, and that He works through unexpected people.
A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato chips and a six-pack of root beer and started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park, just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink of his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered her some chips.
She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer.
Again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman, and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile yet.
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, “What did you do today that made you so happy?”
He replied, “I had lunch with God.” But before his mother could respond, he added, “You know what? She’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”
Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, “Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?”
She replied, “I ate potato chips in the park with God.” Before her son could respond, she added, “You know, he’s much younger than I expected.”
“It’s for Your Own Good” … or Is It?
Of all tyrannies a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
— C.S. Lewis
Who Is a Transgressor?
A wrong-doer is often a man who has left something undone, not always he who has done something.
— Marcus Aurelius
Do We Learn From Experience?
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.
— Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Foolproof? Impossible!
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
— Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Judge Yourself Before You Act
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, moves on. Nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.
— The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
A Thought-Provoking Statement …
Eagles don’t flock. You have to find them one at a time.
— Ross Perot
How to Accomplish the Impossible
Start by doing what is necessary; then what is possible, and suddenly you will be doing the impossible.
— St Francis of Assisi