penandpatience

WRITERS WORDS: “If life is a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits? – Erma Bombeck

MAY 2022 MONTHLY MUSING

SAYINGS GALORE – BUT SO MUCH MORE!

SAYINGS – words put together in such a way to challenge, inspire, annoy, invigorate readers to promote thought, meaningful contemplation and laughter. Words where various individuals experience a gamut of emotions. “A saying is any concisely written or spoken expression that is especially memorable because of its meaningful style.” (Wikipedia)

Sayings are penned and recorded by people in all walks of life, from U.S. Presidents, the famous and infamous and all folks attempting to reach others through special scripts. They are expressions containing advice, wisdom or just plain humor.

I muse…I recently discovered a (1792-1974) Edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, saved by my mother, during an overdue cabinet cleanout. Price 60 cents. Perusing the pages, I discovered “Familiar Old Sayings in Verse” by Godfrey McLain. I list a few for reader contemplation:

“Straight as an arrow. Busy as a bee. Now let me stop. Lest you’re weary of me.”

“Mean as a snake. Limp as a rag. Flat as a flitter. Left holding the bag.”

“Proud as a peacock. Sly as a fox, Mad as a wet hen. Strong as an ox.”

Listed below are a few favorite sayings with the hope they will inspire, encourage and produce a few laughs along with my comments:

• John F. Kennedy (from 1961 Inaugural Address) “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” (Many people have especially served their country these past two years)
• “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” -Albert Einstein (brilliance that made valued contributions)
• “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle, Comedian (can you recall early TV’s “Uncle Miltie’s” show sponsored by the Texaco Company?)
• “When you sit down to write, write. Don’t do anything else except go to the bathroom—and only if it cannot be put off.” -Stephen King, (one of my favorite Authors-writers tough it out continuing to write)
• “You can shed tears because she is gone, or you can smile because she has lived.” – David Hawkins (*****) Five stars for this one!
• “When it looked like the sun wasn’t going to shine anymore, there’s a rainbow in the clouds.” -Maya Angelou (a talented poetess)
• “I’m not offended by the dumb blonde jokes because I know that I’m not dumb…and I also know that I’m not blonde.” – Dolly Parton (who doesn’t love Dolly?)
• “People who drink to drown their sorrows should be told that sorrow knows how to swim.” -Ann Landers (I received her book, “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee!” as a recent gift.)
• “Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti.” -Sophia Loren (a beautiful actress of her generation-pasta, always a culinary winner)
• “Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” – Harvey McKay from Best of Mackay’s Morals provide lessons to live by. (I’ve read a lot of Harvey McKay’s past columns)
• “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” – Mother Teresa
• “Do as I say, not as I do.” – My Dad said when crushing a spent cigarette into an ashtray. (His generation did not have today’s medical knowledge of smoking’s long-term hazards.)

So many Sayings, so little time😊

Sayings, food for thought, always giving readers an opportunity to rethink ideals and life situations. Some make us laugh when we’re feeling down and others resonate and remain with us as we go about daily living.

What say you?  Do you have a favorite saying you’d like to share?

Feel free to send it to me via the Comments.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the world’s moms.