Quotes About Perspective

É um facto curioso que, uma vez em terra, não haja ninguém que enjoe no mar. A bordo cruzamo-nos com imensa gente muito enjoada, de facto; barcos e barcos cheios deles. Porém, até hoje, ainda nunca encontrei um homem, em terra, que soubesse o que era enjoar no mar. Onde é que se metem, quando estão em terra firme, esses milhares e milhares de maus marinheiros que deambulam em cada navio permanece um mistério.

Si un hombre me parase en la calle y me pidiera el reloj, me negaría a dárselo; si me amenazara con quitármelo a la fuerza, creo que, aunque no tengo nada de valiente, haría cuanto pudiera para evitarlo. Pero si, por otra parte, me manifestara su intención de obtenerlo mediante la intervención de los tribunales de justicia, me lo sacaría del bolsillo y se lo daría, convencido de que el asunto me había salido barato.

Foolish wise folk sneer at you; foolish wise folk would pull up the useless lilies, the needless roses, from the garden, would plant in their places only serviceable wholesome cabbage. But the Gardener knowing better, plants the silly short-lived flowers; foolish wise folk, asking for what purpose.

It seems to be the rule of the world. Each person has what he doesn't want, & other people have what he does what.

Life tastes much the same, whether we quaff it from a golden goblet or drink it out of a stone mug. The hours come laden with the same mixture of joy and sorrow, no matter where we wait for them.

No, what was sad in his case was that he, who didn't care for carved oak, should have his drawing-room panelled with it, while people who do care for it have to pay enormous prices to get it.  It seems to be the rule of this world. 

We said we could not expect to have it all sunshine, nor should we wish it.  We told each other that Nature was beautiful, even in her tears.

It could be done with a little good will all round," he continued, "and nine men out of every ten would be the better off. But they won't even let you explain. Their newspapers shout you down. It's such a damned fine world for the few: never mind the many.

Jerome Tuccille

No one's hurt is too small, no worry too removed, no blessing so elusive that it cannot be seen by the eyes in the back of the human heart.

It is said that kids have no use for the word 'then'. It is said that only 'now' and 'this minute' count with kids. It is said that kids believe time began the day they were born. How sad if this were true. It would mean kids believe they live on a tiny, isolated island in time. It would mean that when they look back, they fail to see the fascinating human adventure that led up to that day when they were born. It would mean that when they look back, they see...nothing.

For a long time I've concentrated on how small I am, how little I have to offer," Vicki continued. "That's not the point. The point is how big God is and what he wants to do." Shelly

We ought to be as earnest and frequent in our prayers of thanksgiving when the cupboard is full as we would be in our prayers of supplication if the cupboards were bare.

once in awhile you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look it right

Sometimes the lights all shining on me, other times I can barely see. Lately it occurs to me what a long strange trip it's been.

every mind is at least as heavy as mine

Living within artificial, reconstructed, arbitrary environments that are strictly the products of human conception, we have no way to be sure that we know what is true and what is not. We have lost context and perspective. What we know is what other humans tell us.

W]hen a message is squeezed through a twenty-second news spot, so much can be lost that what is left will fail to move anyone enough to make them turn off the set and actually do something. Meanwhile, the viewers will believe that they have learned everything they need to know on that subject and will be bored the next time they hear it.

To speak of television as 'neutral' and therefore subject to change is as absurd as speaking of the reform of a technology such as guns.

Of course we all try and save time. Cutting corners, little short cuts. But no matter how much time you save, at the end of your life, there's no extra time saved up. You'll be going what do you mean there's no time?

Be very, very careful not to let the facts get mixed up with the truth.

And so I'm me again, Leo. Thanks to the example of a five-year-old. I'm hoping you wouldn't want it any other way. Not that you weren't flattered, right? I mean, to have a girl two thousand miles away going to pieces over you, weeping at the mere memory of you, losing her appetite, losing herself and self-respect - well, that's trophy enough for any guy's ego, huh?

Maybe it was the angle, but her fawn's eyes, looking up at me, seemed larger than ever. I had to make an effort to keep my balance lest I fall into them.

Events become feelings, feelings become events. Head and heart are contrary historians.