Saving the trouble of thinking for oneself
Today I give you three quotes. I’m supposed to give you one each day for three days but I am far to discursive to stay on task for three whole consecutive days so I have invented my own rules for this lovely challenge set me by three lovely people:
Life With Molly – written by a young woman to her future children with quite extraordinary maturity and insight
White House Red Door – A true teacher who shows us how to nurture with her beautiful achievable food matched by her lovely words
Worlds Biggest Fridge Magnet – Can do Cam suggested me months ago so I hang my head in shame whilst urging you to take a look at his blog
These are my quotes. Randomly trawled from the murky depths of my cobwebby mind, they’ve all kept me company for decades which might imply they are the right ones to share.
“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart”
‘The Little Prince’ Antoine de Saint Exupery
“Of all the words of mice and men the saddest are it might have been“
‘Cats Cradle’ Kurt Vonnegurt
(I should note that Vonnegurt was paraphrasing a much earlier poem by Maud Muller which I read much later hence, perhaps, my loyalty to his tenor.)
“Take bread away from me, if you wish take air away, but do not take away from me your laughter”
‘Your Laughter’ Pablo Neruda
All of these quotes stand beautifully on their own and are bookmarks in my mind for the most important things in my life – my heart; laughter of those I love and of strangers; and to sieze the moment, to make it happen and if whatever it is doesn’t transpire to move on with no regret. I rather hope that they might pique your interest sufficiently to want to explore three consummate writers and their work.
And there is a bonus – the title is A A Milne who said “A quotation is a handy thing to have lying about, saving oneself the trouble of thinking for oneself – always a laborious business” in his essay ‘The Record Lie’ which I also highly recommend … it’s not ‘Winnie the Pooh’ though those that know me know that I have a particularly high regard for the Bear.
I now have the pleasant task of suggesting the following to take on this challenge. As ever it’s a feel free to pass sort of challenge but I do love these bloggers and I do think they would do the challenge great justice. Take a look at them and those that suggested me, they are all praiseworthy.
Poshbirdy in Quillan – Feisty and funny writing of the feast and famine of renovating a house in France
Not the Average Mama – certainly not average this is a wonderful blog written by a remarkable stepmother
Write on the Beach – a brilliant writer whose stories of England and France are truly compelling
OK – your on! Give me the weekend to sharpen my wits!
Hurrah – I know you’ll come up with something special 🙂
Wonderful and brilliant quotes – thank you and happy Friday! 🙂
They are keepers for sure 🙂 Happy Friday to you too and I hope the healing is happening well 🙂
Today is better than yesterday – thanks. 🙂
I love that quote from Cat’s Cradle. I will definitely be taking this challenge on. Thank you for your kind words and support!
It’s a keeper, for sure. No thanks required – In only say what I mean and it is a pleasure to support your blog which I enjoy so much 🙂
These are fantastic! I knew you could rise to the challenge and produce some amazing quotes! Thanks so much for taking part 🙂 And the winnie the pooh reference was fantastic 😉 xx
I’m glad you liked them …. it was a way of illustrating my philosophy without quoting from one of the great philosophers (including Winnie the Pooh) 🙂 xx
And a fantastic way of doing that! 🙂 xx
I so enjoy your originality, Osyth 🙂 I applaud all of your choices as well 🙂
Thank you Lana I shall continue to embrace my originality then 🙂
A nice selection, Osyth…The Kurt Vonnegurt was my favorite because I am in one of those phases of life. Cheers!
Glad you enjoyed them. Kurt Vonnegurt is unerringly inspiring to me …. and I do try to avoid the rear view mirror (except when driving cars) 🙂
I love all of them, am drawn to the Kurt Vonnegut one but my favorite is the first one. Beautiful quotes and photographs from a beautiful lady, inside and out.
Takes one to know one and thank you – I’m glad you enjoyed them. The Little Prince is my favourite book of all 🙂
I love these quotes. The Little Prince is so great!
My all time favourite book – I keep two copies by my bed – one in the original French and the other an English translation. I never tire of either. so glad you enjoyed the quotes 🙂
Me too! In French, even more lyrical .
It is indeed 🙂
Wonderful quotes Osyth, and your photos match up nicely with the sentiments.
Thank you – that means a lot … not just that you like the quotes but that you feel the photos align with them too 🙂
Thank you so much for participating! The quotes you chose are fantastic, and I love the AA Milne bonus at the end. I have Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations on my bookshelf, and I so enjoy going through it, saving myself “the trouble of thinking…” Looking forward to visiting the blogs you nominated as well.
I really enjoyed it – I tried to sum up my philosophy without resorting to a philosopher (including Pooh Bear who is the greatest of them all) …. thank you again for nominating me 🙂
Have you read The Tao of Pooh?
Yes, I have a copy. I believe that Milne was quite a genius …. he created these characters who all exhibit an element or elements of the human condition. I know people who think they are Tigger for example but I will bet they have Eeyore days and sometimes feel as small as piglet and have to try desperately hard to be brave. I could harp on for hours on the subject and would probably lose friends in the process (those that argue they are simply Tigger for example 😉 ) It’s so good to ‘meet’ someone else who has such a high regard for children’s authors and literature 🙂 Happy Saturday by the way xx
Clever A.A. Milne! But it takes some thought to match the quote to the photo and to weave three quotes into a story. Very nicely done!!
Thank you Janet – you are too kind and I am very glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Thank you for the “Big Up” my dear Fiona 🙂
A little late to the party but I hadn’t forgotten …
🙂
Three beautiful quotes Osyth, especially “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart”. And I love the AA Milne piece about quotes, that’s very amusing 🙂
Thank you – they are all representative of my philosophy without resorting to a philosopher (even Pooh Bear) and all from works that I have loved for a long time. The Milne felt perfect in the circumstances 😉
And it is a great philosophy to have Osyth, very positive and thoughtful 🙂
gorgeous pictures and lovely quotes! Love this post! xx
I’m glad you enjoyed it …. the quotes sum up my philisophy without resorting to a philosopher 🙂 x
haha the pictures are amazing!! Wonderful philosophy!