Uncommon times call for uncommon wisdom. It's inspiring to hear from
people who've graduated from the school of hard knocks, yet kept a sense
of humor. People like Twain, Voltaire, Oscar Wilde. People who've said
the thing so well that we all wish we'd said it. People who've been
there, done that, and refuse to sugarcoat what they've learned. People
who know, as Sherry Hochman puts it, that "Every day is a gift--even if
it sucks."
From Kathryn and Ross Petras, curators of craziness (and surprising
smarts), comes a timely collection of reassuring reality:
"Why is there so much month left at the end of the money?"--John
Barrymore
"October. This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate
in stocks in. The others are July, January, September, April, November,
May, March, June, December, August, and February." --Mark Twain
"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he
didn't trust me so much."--Mother Teresa
"When one burns one's bridges, what a very nice fire it makes."--Dylan
Thomas
"If you think you have it tough, read history books."--Bill Maher
And Voltaire: "Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in
the lifeboats."