Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 124

“A misty morning does not signify a cloudy day.”— Ancie...

 

 

“A misty morning does not signify a cloudy day.”

— Ancient proverb

Image by Chakkree Chantakad

A healthy attitude is contagious but don’t wait to catch ...

A healthy attitude is contagious but don’t wait to catch it from others.  Be a carrier.

— Tom Stoppard, (1937 –  ); British playwright

Image by Gerd Altmann

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish to...

 

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929 – 1968; American Baptist minister & civil rights activist; Quote is from his speech in St. Louis on March 22, 1964.

Image by John Hain

“Shared joy is a double joy. Shared sorrow is half a sor...

“Shared joy is a double joy. 

Shared sorrow is half a sorrow.”

  – Swedish proverb

“The measure of love is love without measure.”— Saint Be...

 

“The measure of love is love without measure.”

— Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, patron saint of candlemakers (1090-1153)

Believe in yourself…

“Recognize that we were born with confidence.  We were born to be Encouragers.  What we unlearned, we can easily relearn.  Sweet.”

— Cathy Burnham Martin, Author, “Encouragement: How to Be and Find the Best,” 2019

“I’m new-wave, but I’m old-school, and my inner child is...

 “I’m new-wave, but I’m old-school,

and my inner child is outward-bound.

You can’t shut me up; you can’t dumb me down.”

— from “When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops” by comedian George Carlin, 2004

“When I say less, I often communicate more.”— Cathy Burnh...

“When I say less, I often communicate more.”

— Cathy Burnham Martin, Author

Quotations Worth Notations

Here comes a little “Cathy Chat.” My inspiration came after finding quotations from some of my books online.  How endearing to find people are reading and being inspired.  Some were about life lessons; others about how we relate to people. I especially like words that make me think… or make me smile!

I simply love a crack I saw on television a while ago.  In a sportscast, a particular on-air talent always features a bit of wit in a chalkboard displayed over his shoulder.  On one segment I laughed out loud, because the quote, attributed to Abraham Lincoln, was something like, “The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they are real.”  Gooooood wit and irony, since there were no computers, never mind the World Wide Web in Lincoln’s day.

Superb reading for me comes from books with quotes that set a mood or reflect a particular theme.  It matters little whether they come from famous people or unknowns, whether they are words of wisdom or generate laughter.  One great example shines in my 2014 book, “Champagne! Facts, Fizz, Food & Fun.”  Whether genuine or not, many quotes end up attributed to Mark Twain, including.  “Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right.”  That reminded me of a favorite Mae West quotation, “Too much of a good thing… is wonderful.”

Some quotes give a glimpse into history, such as this one attributed to Winston Churchill.  “Meeting Franklin Roosevelt was like opening your first bottle of champagne; knowing him was like drinking it.”

Enough about bubbly for now.  Collecting quotes since I was a child, I originally found them in the back of a huge family dictionary.  I also jotted them down from a book or magazine I may have been reading.  Since the 1960’s I have continued to glean some favorites from literature, theatrical works, movies, or speeches.  I sometimes capture great quips when I hear them on television or the radio.

Sometimes these gems strike me as frivolous… sometimes wise… usually reflecting both wit and wisdom.  Sometimes reflecting someone I sense is out of touch; other times they seem to reveal tremendous insight.

I plan to share, post, and distribute some simple thoughts and quotations. In doing so, if I didn’t say it, hear it, or read the quote firsthand, I will try to validate its legitimacy.  If I misquote or misattribute, I apologize in advance. I will only offer them to you with the best intentions to provide a smile, provoke a thought, or simply share some wit and wisdom.

That said, I close for now with a quote from that great source we call ‘Unknown.’  Unknown simply said, “If you have trouble getting the cork out, drink champagne.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

For us, in the United States of America, this is Thanksgiving. May we all pause to count our many blessings. Perhaps it was something small, like hearing the song of a bird outside. Perhaps we cherish something large, like extended time with a loved one.

Especially for anyone feeling in a dark place right now… or feeling rather alone, let’s shine some light. Let’s add some encouragement.

We all have many blessings, even when feeling so utterly overwhelmed that we lose sight of them. Sight… our vision is a blessing.  Hearing, taste, and touch are also. Having a roof over our heads, food to eat, and clean water to drink are all blessings.

If someone loves us or has loved us in the past, these are blessings. (If we love someone or have loved someone in the past, these are both blessings and blessings bestowed on others!)

We have all suffered losses and setbacks, sometimes in what may feel like disproportionate quantities! Some losses are small, and others are utterly heartbreaking.

Through good and bad, happiness and sadness, times of plenty and times of yearning, we are blessed when we can feel ourselves truly living.

We are never really alone. None of us is. Hang in there. Be well. Stay safe. Give thanks.

Bless you!