by Suzanne Reisler Litwin
The thing about being creative is you can never predict when the creativity burst is going to hit you.
It’s 1:41 am and I can’t sleep. I have a lot on my mind, mostly stressing stuff. Now is the best time for me to write. Writing helps me get the stressful stuff out of my mind.
Often, I think about quotes that I’ve heard. I write them down all the time. Here are some of my favorites:
“Dear, don’t bother holding your tongue. Just use a glue stick instead of your lipstick.”
The thought of me taking a glue stick out of my purse instead of a lipstick would be hysterical. I might just use this as a prop one night when I’m out with my girlfriends.
Sometimes not speaking and listening more intently is the best and safest approach to being. Listening provides a great opportunity for learning and observing. Here is another fitting quote:
“Sometimes not saying anything is the best answer. You see silence can never be misquoted.”
That’s a beauty!
Here is another simple and very true quote:
“No amount of hard work and brains can beat dumb luck.”
This quote reminds me of when I play backgammon with my friend. I would say that we are competitive players. We probably play the game at the same skill level. The only difference between winning and losing is the roll of the dice.
Last time we played, I won the first game. Then she won the second game. If it wasn’t for my double sixes, double threes and double fives, I would have lost the third game. Our skills are the same; the dice was more in my favor. Therefore, I had dumb luck. Perhaps the next time, the dice won’t be as lucky for me.
Seriously, who wouldn’t love some dumb luck?
My Grandmother Sadye Cohen was famous for her quotes. My family repeats her words all the time. Here is one of her famous family quotes:
“You will always get more bees with honey and less with vinegar.”
What she is suggesting here is that when you are nice to people, more people will be nice to you. If you are mean to people, less people will want to be with you.
It will always benefit you to be a nice and pleasant person.
Here is one more from Sayde:
“She means to say flowers, but out jumps frogs!”
This quote makes me laugh. I know people who are always saying the wrong thing. They mean to say something wonderful, which represents the flower, but out jumps a frog which ruins their good intensions. This quote sort of represents the good in people and the unfortunate mis-interpretations. I use this quote often.
Now…I have saved the best for last. My beloved Father’s famous quote that I live by. I am a “worry wart”. This is what he used to call me. He would often say that my day wouldn’t be complete, if I didn’t have something to worry about. This is kinda true about me. I’m not proud of this. It is just the way I’m wired. Due to this unfortunate state of my being, my Father had a quote for me, which he used quite often.
Now that he is gone, I live by his quote daily as it is a reminder to worry less and not as often. Here it is:
“99.9% of the things you worry about never happen. So, don’t worry!”
I take a deep breath and say this to myself often. It helps. Maybe, it will help you too?
I’m sure you have wonderful quotes to share. I hope you will share them. You never know who may benefit from your meaningful words…
- One for the road – “All great achievements require time.” Maya Angelou
pps. For old time sake – “R
hythm is something you either have or don’t have, but when you have it, you have it all over.” Elvis Presley
Suzanne Reisler Litwin is an instructor at Concordia University in The Centre for Continuing Education. She is a writing instructor at The Cummings Centre. She writes a weekly column in The Suburban Newspaper and at the West Island Blog. Suzanne is a freelance contributor to The Suburban Newspaper, West Island Blog, Wise Women Canada, The Metropolitain, and Women on the Fence. She is the author of the children’s book, The Black Velvet Jacket. Visit suzannereislerlitwin.com
to read more of her published articles, books, and poetry.
