From the Quote of the Week Files, August 29, 2011

Welcome once again to the Quote of the Week! Your presence, exactly as is at this very moment, is greatly appreciated. Inspiration is everywhere. This week's quote was found on the thigh of a young woman at the beach. Enjoy, I know I did!!
_________

"Colui che è armato con l'amore può sconfiggere ogni disgrazia."

Michelangelo

Translation...

"One who's armed with love can defeat any misfortune."

Michelangelo
________

A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...

"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive -
to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."

Marcus Aurelius
__________

A Hurricane Irene Bonus Quote....

"Stay inside, if you have nothing else to do."

This advice was given to a TV Reporter as he was covering Hurricane Irene. Good Advice ~ It got me through the Hurricane!!

Check out the video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwgCD9hVSbI

__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you.

From the Quote of the Week Files; August 22, 2011

Welcome to the Quote of the Week ~ bringing you quotes of interest that will make us both think a little bit more, question life, or enjoy living more.
__________

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity."

Gilda Radner
_________

A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...

"The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning."

Ivy Baker Priest
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!

From the Quote of the Week Files; August 15, 2011

Fueled by the belief that a positive future is ours to create, welcome back to the Quote of the Week!!

Warning!!!! Today's quote is rated PG 13 for it's very strong language! (A Quote of the Week second!) ~ But what the heck...
__________

"Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes."

William Gibson

(Thanks to Patti Digh's excellent blog, 37 days)
__________

"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us."

Joseph Campbell
________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!

From the Quote of the Week Files, August 8, 2011

Good Morning, Good Afternoon or Good Evening and Welcome to the Quote of the Week. It is time to get away from the all important details of day-to-day life, take a deep breath, relax your shoulders, kick off your shoes and enjoy reading today's quotes! .
__________

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."

Douglas Adams
__________

A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic..

If you ever asked yourself...

What is the best time to do each thing?

Who are the most important people to work with?

What is the most important thing to do at all times?...

Then this quote (actually it is a parable) will provide you with the answer! Enjoy!

Three Questions - by Leo Tolstoy

One day it occurred to a certain emperor that if he only knew the answers to three questions, he would never stray in any matter.

What is the best time to do each thing?
Who are the most important people to work with?
What is the most important thing to do at all times?

The emperor issued a decree throughout his kingdom announcing that whoever could answer the questions would receive a great reward. Many who read the decree made their way to the palace at once, each person with a different answer.

In reply to the first question, one person advised that the emperor make up a thorough time schedule, consecrating every hour, day, month, and year for certain tasks and then follow the schedule to the letter. Only then could he hope to do every task at the right time.

Another person replied that it was impossible to plan in advance and that the emperor should put all vain amusements aside and remain attentive to everything in order to know what to do at what time.

Someone else insisted that, by himself, the emperor could never hope to have all the foresight and competence necessary to decide when to do each and every task and what he really needed was to set up a Council of the Wise and then to act according to their advice.

Someone else said that certain matters required immediate decision and could not wait for consultation, but if he wanted to know in advance what was going to happen he should consult magicians and soothsayers.

The responses to the second question also lacked accord.

One person said that the emperor needed to place all his trust in administrators, another urged reliance on priests and monks, while others recommended physicians. Still others put their faith in warriors.

The third question drew a similar variety of answers. Some said science was the most important pursuit. Others insisted on religion. Yet others claimed the most important thing was military skill.
-------
The emperor was not pleased with any of the answers, and no reward was given.

After several nights of reflection, the emperor resolved to visit a hermit who lived up on the mountain and was said to be an enlightened man. The emperor wished to find the hermit to ask him the three questions, though he knew the hermit never left the mountains and was known to receive only the poor, refusing to have anything to do with persons of wealth or power. So the emperor disguised himself as a simple peasant and ordered his attendants to wait for him at the foot of the mountain while he climbed the slope alone to seek the hermit.

Reaching the holy man's dwelling place, the emperor found the hermit digging a garden in front of his hut. When the hermit saw the stranger, he nodded his head in greeting and continued to dig. The labor was obviously hard on him. He was an old man, and each time he thrust his spade into the ground to turn the earth, he heaved heavily.

The emperor approached him and said, "I have come here to ask your help with three questions: When is the best time to do each thing? Who are the most important people to work with? What is the most important thing to do at all times?"

The hermit listened attentively but only patted the emperor on the shoulder and continued digging. The emperor said, "You must be tired. Here, let me give you a hand with that." The hermit thanked him, handed the emperor the spade, and then sat down on the ground to rest.

After he had dug two rows, the emperor stopped and turned to the hermit and repeated his three questions. The hermit still did not answer, but instead stood up and pointed to the spade and said, "Why don't you rest now? I can take over again." But the emperor continued to dig. One hour passed, then two. Finally the sun began to set behind the mountain. The emperor put down the spade and said to the hermit, "I came here to ask if you could answer my three questions. But if you can't give me any answer, please let me know so that I can get on may way home."

The hermit lifted his head and asked the emperor, "Do you hear someone running over there?" The emperor turned his head. They both saw a man with a long white beard emerge from the woods. He ran wildly, pressing his hands against a bloody wound in his stomach. The man ran toward the emperor before falling unconscious to the ground, where he lay groaning. Opening the man's clothing, the emperor and hermit saw that the man had received a deep gash. The emperor cleaned the wound thoroughly and then used his own shirt to bandage it, but the blood completely soaked it within minutes. He rinsed the shirt out and bandaged the wound a second time and continued to do so until the flow of blood had stopped.

At last the wounded man regained consciousness and asked for a drink of water. The emperor ran down to the stream and brought back a jug of fresh water. Meanwhile, the sun had disappeared and the night air had begun to turn cold. The hermit gave the emperor a hand in carrying the man into the hut where they laid him down on the hermit's bed. The man closed his eyes and lay quietly. The emperor was worn out from the long day of climbing the mountain and digging the garden. Leaning against the doorway, he fell asleep. When he rose, the sun had already risen over the mountain. For a moment he forgot where he was and what he had come here for. He looked over to the bed and saw the wounded man also looking around him in confusion. When he saw the emperor, he stared at him intently and then said in a faint whisper, "Please forgive me."

"But what have you done that I should forgive you?" the emperor asked.

"You do not know me, your majesty, but I know you. I was your sworn enemy, and I had vowed to take vengeance on you, for during the last war you killed my brother and seized my property. When I learned that you were coming alone to the mountain to meet the hermit, I resolved to surprise you on your way back to kill you. But after waiting a long time there was still no sign of you, and so I left my ambush in order to seek you out. But instead of finding you, I came across your attendants, who recognized me, giving me this wound. Luckily, I escaped and ran here. If I hadn't met you I would surely be dead by now. I had intended to kill you, but instead you saved my life! I am ashamed and grateful beyond words. If I live, I vow to be your servant for the rest of my life, and I will bid my children and grandchildren to do the same. Please grant me your forgiveness."

The emperor was overjoyed to see that he was so easily reconciled with a former enemy. He not only forgave the man but promised to return all the man's property and to send his own physician and servants to wait on the man until he was completely healed. After ordering his attendants to take the man home, the emperor returned to see the hermit. Before returning to the palace the emperor wanted to repeat his three questions one last time. He found the hermit sowing seeds in the earth they had dug the day before.

The hermit stood up and looked at the emperor. "But your questions have already been answered."

"How's that?" the emperor asked, puzzled.

"Yesterday, if you had not taken pity on my age and given me a hand with digging these beds, you would have been attacked by that man on your way home. Then you would have deeply regretted not staying with me. Therefore the most important time was the time you were digging in the beds, the most important person was myself, and the most important pursuit was to help me. Later, when the wounded man ran up here, the most important time was the time you spent dressing his wound, for if you had not cared for him he would have died and you would have lost the chance to be reconciled with him. Likewise, he was the most important person, and the most important pursuit was taking care of his wound. Remember that there is only one important time and is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future. The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at you side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life."
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!

From the Quote of the Week Files; August 1, 2011

Welcome to the Quote of the Week!! Going out on the limb is the theme of this week's quote. Enjoy!
__________

"She went out a on a limb, had it break off behind her, and realized she could fly."

Kobi Yamada
__________

A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...

“Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. Isn't that where the fruit is anyway?"

Arthur Lenehan
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!

From the Quote of the Week Files, July 25, 2011

Welcome to the Quote of the Week!! This week's quote comes from the cap of an Honest Tea bottle. Enjoy!
__________

"Stop living life for what's around the corner and start enjoying the walk down the street. "

Grant L. Miller
__________

And speaking of streets, here is a Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...

My Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

Chapter 1

I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place.
But it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter 5

I walk down another street.

Portia Nelson
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!

From the Quote of the Week Files, July 25, 2011

Welcome to the Quote of the Week!! This week's quote comes from the cap of an Honest Tea bottle. Enjoy!
__________

"Stop living life for what's around the corner and start enjoying the walk down the street. "

Grant L. Miller
__________

And speaking of streets, here is a Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...

My Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

Chapter 1

I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place.
But it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter 5

I walk down another street.

Portia Nelson
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!

From the Quote of the Week Files; July 18, 2011

Good Morning and Welcome to the Quote of the Week!!! I hear a Symphony!!! William Henry Channing's symphony that is! Enjoy!
__________

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony.

William Henry Channing
__________

A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic ...

The Summer Wind

The summer wind, came blowin' in - from across the sea
It lingered there, so warm and fair - to walk with me
All summer long, we sang a song - and strolled on golden sand
Two sweethearts, and the summer wind

Like painted kites, those days and nights - went flyin' by
The world was new, beneath a blue - umbrella sky
Then softer than, a piper man - one day it called to you
And I lost you, to the summer wind

The autumn wind, and the winter wind - have come and gone
And still the days, those lonely days - go on and on
And guess who sighs his lullabies - through nights that never end
My fickle friend, the summer wind

Original German lyrics by Hans Bradtke
English lyrics by Johnny Mercer
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!!!

From the Quote of the Week Files; July 11, 2011

Rise and Shine!!!!! It is time to meet the challenges of a brand new week!!! Enjoy today's Quote!
__________

"Someone once told me that time is a predator that stalked us all our lives.
But I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey,
that reminds us to cherish every moment because they'll never come again.
What we leave behind is not as important as how we live it.
After all, Number One, we're only mortal."

Jean-Luc Picard
__________

I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
To allow my living to open me,
To make me less afraid,
More accessible.

To loosen my heart until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance;
To live so that which came to me as seed
goes on to the next as blossom
And that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.

Dawna Markova
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!

From the Quote of the Week Files; July 5, 2011

Welcome everybody to the Quote of the Week!!! "Therefore" is the theme of this week's quote. Enjoy!
__________

“Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime;
therefore, we must be saved by hope.

Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense
in any immediate context of history;
therefore, we must be saved by faith.

Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone;
therefore we are saved by love.”

Reinhold Niebuhr
__________

A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...

"In the book of life every page has two sides: we human beings fill the upper side with our plans, hopes and wishes, but providence writes on the other side, and what it ordains is seldom our goal."

Nisami
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!

From the Quote of the Week Files, June 27, 2010

Listen, Do you want to know a secret?

Welcome to the quote of the Week. This week's theme: Listening!
__________

"Listen once in a while. It's amazing what you can hear. On a hot summer day in the country you can hear the corn growing, the crack of a tin roof buckling under the power of the sun... Or sometime when you're talking up a storm so brilliant, so charming that you can hardly believe how wonderful you are, pause just a moment and listen to yourself. It's good for the soul to hear yourself as others hear you, and next time maybe, just maybe, you will not talk so much, so loudly, so brilliantly, so charmingly, so utterly shamelessly foolishly."

Russell Baker
Commencement Speech, Connecticut College, 1995
__________

“The first duty of love is to listen.”

Paul Tillich
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!

From the Quote of the Week Files; June 20, 2011

All Souls on Deck!! Welcome to the Quote of the Week!
__________

"One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Soul on deck shines like gold in dark times. The light of the soul throws sparks, can send up flares, builds signal fires ... causes proper matters to catch fire. To display the lantern of soul in shadowy times like these - to be fierce and to show mercy toward others - both are acts of immense bravery and greatest necessity. Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it. If you would help to calm the tumult, this is one of the strongest things you can do."

Clarissa Pinkola Estes
__________

A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...

"For as this appalling ocean surrounds the verdant land, so in the soul of man there lies one insular Tahiti, full of peace and joy, but encompassed by all the horrors of the half known life."

Herman Melville, Moby Dick
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!

From the Quote of the Week Files; June 13, 2011

Hello and Welcome to the Quote of the Week! I hope you enjoy this eggtraordinary quote!
__________

“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder
for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present.
And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg.
We must be hatched or go bad.”

C.S. Lewis
__________

A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...

Through the gateway of feeling your weakness lies your strength.
Through the gateway of feeling your pain lies your pleasure and joy.
Through the gateway of feeling your fear lies your security and safety.
Through the gateway of feeling your loneliness lies your capacity to have fullment, love and companionship.
Through the gateway of feeling your hopelessness lies true and justified hope.
Through the gateway of accepting the lacks in your childhood lies your fulfullment now.

Eva Pierrakos
__________

Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!