Actually, Light from Many Lamps is the title of one of my most prized books.
I was presented with this book as a reward for hard work at the end of my final school year. It is, as it says on the cover, ‘a treasury of inspiration selected from the wisdom of the ages’, compiled by Lillian Eichler Watson. And it sure is full of wisdom. Some of the most guiding principles of my life came from there.
It is fascinating how the same quotes I marked up in pencil at the ripe old age of 18 still resonate with me. I am so grateful to the teacher who chose this book for me. I wonder if they ever realised the impact they would have on me through this book. You just never know when you say or do something that impacts someone profoundly.
Yep, we all have this power, this influence. Awesome, is it not?
I wanted to do something similar in this post – pull together words of wisdom, inspiration and lessons learnt from various sources and especially those I consider my teachers.
Shakespeare: Nothing is either good or bad but thinking makes it so.
Dr Wayne Dyer: You are an angel having a human experience.
My Dad: ‘Alles met n TE by is nie goed nie, behalwe TEvrede’.
This is in Afrikaans and it basically means everything in moderation. A more literal translation is ‘everything preceded by ‘too’ is no good.’ E.g.; too good, too noisy, too big, too much.
Byron Katie: There are 3 kinds of businesses: Yours, someone else’s and God’s business. You have control over your business. You have no control over God’s business, i.e., hurricanes, tornadoes, war. That leaves other people’s business. Let them take care of their business. If you’re over there with them taking care of their business, no one is taking care of you, so no wonder you will feel neglected, lonely and miserable. I trust I am doing Byron Katie justice here. That’s how I understand it. It works for me.
Marianne Williamson: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Read the rest of that famous quote here.
Chinese Proverb: Hungry man wait long time for roast duck to fly into open mouth.
Mahatma Gandhi: Be the change you want to see in the world.
Henry David Thoreau: Our life is frittered away by detail… Simplify, simplify! And this advice for a simpler life was written more than 150 years ago. How much more now in a world of mobile phones, instant information and non-stop news?
Methinks that’s a good place to wrap this up. Plenty there to ponder… Enjoy 🙂
