Canada geese are all over my neighborhood. They are social, and I think they mate in pairs such that the mate stays about and helps. I read a story that is touching; you see, a goose laid eggs in a Whole Foods parking lot (the dirt), and workers cordoned off a little area for it. It just sits there on its eggs while cars and shoppers pass by! What does this mean – why is it about morality, kindness, love, compassion, or goodness? What does this have to do with inspirational quotes – the subject of this blog?
Geese are beautiful creatures. They seem family-oriented, hard-working, and often, relaxed. What does this have to do with humans? If you click over to that story, you will probably see how humans are doing the right thing, exercising good values on behalf of a bird. It shows what people are capable of. In fact, there are positive stories all around us, if we can only find them. Inspirational quotes can help encourage positive action. The media typically want to feed negativity and superficiality into our brains for the purposes of self-benefit (e.g., making money). And in the hustle and bustle of our complicated, frightening American existence, it’s easy to get sidetracked, confused, or downright depressed. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Live a life you believe will be meaningful, fulfilling, and ethical. What can help: you guessed it: inspirational quotes!
The actions we take directly define what kind of person we are. The values we have and the moral decisions we make matter. I think taking the time to help a goose not lose her eggs is a wonderful example of kindness, caring, compassion, responsibility, and even magnanimity. These are some of what I call “the values of the wise;” I am claiming wise persons do this kind of thing at a much greater rate than they enact selfish, harmful, callous, or ignorant behaviors. They know that there are concentric circles radiating out from the self (figuratively) in which we have varying degrees of influence. With our family or pets, we can exercise positive virtues easily and often; that creates the backdrop of our lives. As things become more distal, it’s harder to effect change or do the right thing. However, tell that to someone who travels to D.C. to protest Trump, or who volunteers at a local charity. Some people just have more energy and will to do good things for others. Hell, some people cut us off, don’t take their shopping cart back to the store, and litter. The rest of us need to cowboy up and get in the game! (to mix metaphors!). This is your one, precious life; what are you going to do with it? <– paraphrasing inspirational quotes by Mary Oliver
Here are some other words of wisdom and inspirational quotes about values you might appreciate. As always, search the massive database of quotations at https://valuesofthewise.com/wisdom-archive/
If we could somehow manage to understand at age twenty-three or forty-three— rather than ninety-three— that our body is absolutely guaranteed to stop functioning all too soon, our remaining years would be better for it. Each of us lives under a death sentence. And for most of us, it is only when we deeply realize this we begin to see each day as precious and begin to live our remaining time with intensity and a sense of purpose.
The threshold we’re at right now is a precious one. The whole world is in our hands, and every one of us has the power to act on that or not. If we do, what will change is us, what we’ll save is ourselves—and what will happen in turn is a deepening of our joy, our sensibilities, and our relationships to our families, our friends, our Earth.
He who will not open the door to give alms will open it for the doctor.
Do not blame God for poverty. People are poor because we do not share.
We speak much of tolerance as if it were the great virtue, but it does not go far enough. Who wants to be tolerated, just to be put up with? Jesus did not say, “Tolerate your neighbor,” but instead he said, “Love your neighbor.”
My motto is not, “Live and let live,” but, “Live and help to live.”
A candle lights for others and consumes itself. ~ English proverb
Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand.
There is no greater satisfaction for a just and well-meaning person than the knowledge that he has devoted his best energies to the service of the good cause.
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.
He who cannot give anything away cannot feel anything either.
Do good, and care not to whom.
Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
Again, more inspirational quotes can be found here, and as always, are free!
Here is an interview I did on the values of fulfillment, meaning, and passion called An Ethical and Fulfilling Life. It features unique guests – and yes, there are inspirational quotes associated with it!
