Tag Archives: wisdom

On Aphorisms: A Few Speedy Facts for the Dummy in Me

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Sometimes a dumb thing is a thing worth saying. –Alan Dupont

Okay, this may be a dumb thing to say, but what the heck…how is it, one can go through life learning different words and its meaning, hear these words being applied orally or written, yet, one morning you wake up and realize there is a word that looks familiar but to define it accurately would take looking it up in the dictionary or for some of us, looking it up on the internet.

The mystery word I woke up to this morning was aphorism. I know you are as shocked as I am over this, *gasp,* awful, dumb discovery.

I admit not paying much attention to the word, aphorism, and yet I use them quite frequently when writing.  Plus, you now know, how I spent most of my early educational years paying more attention to the distractions in the classroom, you know, back when childish notes got scribbled on scraps of folded paper and passed over to targeted classmates. Today, the distractions are the same but the kids have it easy and landfills are getting less scrap paper to deal with as text messages are as common as asking for the hall pass to go use the restroom.

Nevertheless, by missing the vocabulary lesson on the word, aphorism, it can only mean one thing:  A quick, Do-It-Yourself, fix this problem, teaching moment.

Today’s speedy lesson on the vocabulary word:

Example of an aphorism.

–Photo credit: Wikipedia

Speedy Fact #1: Definition and trivia

  • Aph-o-rism: noun–a concise statement of a principle

also used as (aphoristic–adjective) or (aphoristically–adverb)

~Word first used around 1528

Speedy Fact #2: Historical Aphorists (and what they said…)

  • Ben Franklin–The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.
  • Plato–The learning and knowledge that we have, is, at the most, but little compared with that of which we are ignorant.
  • Socrates–To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge.

Speedy Fact #3: Finding more on aphorisms

Speedy Fact #4: Pause for Feedback

Now, it is time to pause this teaching moment and see what is brewing on your mind on aphorism…

****
Quick, before my dummy tries to leave the classroom, what aphorism or aphorist you think can teach this dummy in me? 

****

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Hoot A-Known?

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Alright. Today is the day for changes. Serious transformation into something known to be wise and noble, equipped with a set of knock-out pair of eyes, not to mention binocular vision and ability to stay up way past midnight–an absolute must for any serious WordPress blogger!

Now, just a minute . . .

Let me get the zipper up . . . can you help me? Oh, thanks!

Okay, ta-daaa!!

I am like an OWL in the desert, like a little OWL in a far-off desert . . . Psalm 102:6

 When I think on the owl, I wonder, what can I learn from this beautiful bird who is known as a symbol for wisdom and courage.  Ernest Hemingway had a clever thought on owls that I think is right for this moment of reflection:

Aduilt of T. a. guttata in flight -- Sandesneb...

A serious writer is not to be confounded with a solemn writer. A serious writer may be a hawk or a buzzard or even a popinjay, but a solemn writer is always a bloody OWL. ~ Ernest Hemingway ( ThinkExist.com Quotations) ~Image via Wikipedia~

 

Perhaps one could use the energy of the owl to bring wisdom and inspiration in learning to become an eloquent writer or simply learning to become as . . .

“A wise old OWL sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren't we like that wise old bird?" ~Wisdom Quote from ThinkExist.com) Image via Wikipedia

So, if you were to ask me, what animal I would like to be, my answer would be the majestic, wise old owl, of course!

What would you like to be if you were an animal?

~Hoot-hoot! Sunshine xoxo

Photo and Quote credits: Wikipedia and ThinkExist.comQuotations

Inspiration: Book of Psalms and Plinky Prompt

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In This Life…

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Heart-shaped cloud

It’s a brand new year and

all the calendars been reset to January again.

You found unresolved intentions abandoned way before June of last year

indicating any new resolutions made today are sure to flop.

So, what’s a person to do

in

this

life?

Throw in the towel and give up?

Someone said,

before you give up…

Find Wisdom

in this book

notes left behind by Brooke and Keith Desserich.

Notes Left Behind

“…today is the only thing to be lived for…” 

Wisdom from up above through a little six-year-old girl,

Elena Desserich…

reading this book can teach you

…”how to live, how to love and how to laugh…and do amazing things“

and perhaps even assisting with making and keeping resolutions this year

because there are many little children who need the best of you

since fighting the deadly

pediatric brain cancer is

difficult enough…

in

this

life.

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Pushing Against the Rock

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mystical window

There was a

man who was asleep

one night in his cabin

when suddenly his room

filled with light and the

     Savior appeared. The Lord told the man

He had work for him to do, and showed

him a large rock in front of his cabin

 The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

                                                                  The man did this, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might.Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture placing thoughts into the man’s mind such as You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it. etc.,thus, giving the man the impressions that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. “Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough.”  

And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

“Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

Despair

To this the Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are  strong and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and strong.”

Muscles not from Brussels

       ”Through opposition you have grown and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move the rock.”

Majestic Sunset On Golden Ponds

This beautiful story, written by Unknown,  pushes me to strengthen and deepen my faith and trust in God’s wisdom every time I read it. I would like to meet and extend a great big thanks to Unknown because when I start to live life getting frustrated, worried, irritated, or lonely, his words remind me to slow down, stop being an overachiever, and refocus my thoughts.     My life’s work is His, not mine. 
How do you get back on track with God’s life plan for you? Is it through a story, poem or maybe a song? Curious to know and hey, if you happen to find Unknown, please give thanks to one heck of a writer!  
Just pushing against my big ol’ rock,
Sunshine
Photo Credits: Flickr and Wikimedia Common
Inspiration: –My hero…the awesome Unknown writer !
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