By Staff Reports
(DGIwire) –Mark Twain, American author and humorist, best known for his fabulous characters Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, once quipped: “If I had more time, I’d have written a shorter letter.”
Certainly, we all know it can be quite challenging to make any point with few words. Often we ramble and never actually get to the message we desired to convey. Writing with brevity requires even more skill than speaking.
Yet, here are some great proverbs that have withstood the test of time. Their cultural origin is credited–but if you search through these quotes of wisdom long and hard enough—you shall find their wise advice to be universal. Any or all are worthy of regular reflection or, better, memorization. A good goal would be to have these serve as a personal prompt or reminder that there are better days ahead when the going gets rough.
Pick at least one (or as many as you like!) and spend some time reflecting on their words and meaning at regular intervals during the next few hours, days and months. Print the list or at least your favorites and carry them in your wallet or better yet, commit them to memory.
“Never miss a good chance to shut up.” – American Cowboy wisdom
“Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty.” – Sicilian proverb
“An ounce of patience is worth a pound of brains.” – Dutch proverb
“A word to the wise is sufficient.” – Latin proverb
“To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.” – Chinese proverb
“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.” – Italian proverb
“Write the bad things that are done to you in sand, but write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble.” – Arabic proverb
“If you want to give God a good laugh, tell him your plans.” – Yiddish proverb
“No matter how far you have gone on the wrong road, turn back.” – Turkish proverb
“Beginning is easy; continuing is hard. Fall seven times, stand up eight. ” – Japanese proverb
“Even nectar is poison if taken in excess.” – Hindu proverb
“Who goes a-borrowing, goes a-sorrowing.” – English proverb
“How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward.” – Spanish proverb
“You’ll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind.” – Irish proverb
“When the fox preaches, take care of your geese.” – French proverb
“If man is as wise as a serpent, he can afford to be as harmless as a dove.” – Cheyenne proverb
“Don’t be afraid to cry. It will free your mind of sorrowful thoughts.” – Hopi saying
“Do not tell the man carrying you that he stinks.” – Sierra Leone proverb
“Remember that your children are not your own, but are lent to you by the Creator.” – Mohawk proverb
“He who would do great things should not attempt them all alone.” – Seneca proverb
“Advice would be more acceptable if it didn’t conflict with our plans.” – New England proverb