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Proverbial Friday – Global Wisdoms

Forestwood

I find there to be profound wisdom in proverbs, sayings and quotes and I marvel at the way they are so succinct in communicating messages to the reader. Mostly anonymous, they come to us from past generations and from across cultures. They speak of the experiences of lives lived and lessons learned. Quotes, like proverbs, make us think more deeply about something.

Each Friday, I post a Proverb or Saying and a Quote that I find thought-provoking. 

I hope you will too.

Another Polish Proverb in the series is up for discussion this week.

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What reaches the mother’s heart will only reach the father’s knees

~ Polish Proverb

Pol Torun 20160629_124751

This Week’s Quote

Continuing on with the theme of remaining grateful and positive, it sounds like Oprah Winfrey has also discovered this key to finding contentment.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.

If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”

–Oprah Winfrey

I find the Polish proverb a little intriguing. Could it refer to the warm, nourishing nature of Mothers, and by contrast, the disciplinarian, less emotional style of parenting by some fathers? Or is that too simplistically gender specific? I don’t have a time frame to give this proverb a historical context, however I suspect it comes from an age long gone.

What explanation can you make of it?

Oprah clearly has much to be thankful for, but it is refreshing to hear a celebrity that is not so fixated on wealth or hungry for more.  What do you think?

Something Proverbial to Ponder About

River boats art

Published by Forestwood

A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word. Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, a writer and I enjoy photography and crafts, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.

18 thoughts on “Proverbial Friday – Global Wisdoms”

  1. I think the firs proverb applies to the older generation. Here I am seeing more and more young fathers looking after their children as easily and as lovingly as mothers. What Oprah has said is so true. Very nice proverbs.

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    1. Thank you, Mukamani.So nice to hear that Dads are sharing the load and joys of parenting and being actively involved, Mukamani. The children will benefit from the input and not experience a father who is distant and aloof. Do you notice this phenomena in different places around the world or just your home country?

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      1. In my place, we see young dads carrying their children for evening walks. And we hear about them taking active part in looking after their children.

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  2. I actually have no idea what to make of the first quote. What Mukhamani said is a good point. It could really be a quote from another generation or meant to describe another generation. Personally I feel each of us can feel any emotion or feeling…it’s just a matter of finding that sense of connection.

    Agree with Oprah’s quote. So often we are always focus on getting or reaching the next best thing. What we have now (be it something material or some person) might be gone someday and that’s something we overlook. It amazes me how some of us will go to great lengths to get ahead: taking for granted relationships, putting competition before health. What we don’t have can give us the illusion of a life where the grass is greener on the other side. In truth, you really don’t know until you are there and sometimes it’s not all that cracked up to be.

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    1. I think it might be a good way to interpret this proverb, in archaic terms. We shall see if anyone else can shed light on it. If not, it is possibly relegated to history as redundant in today’s society. Both parents play a role in creating a child, so both have a role to play in raising the child. Whether they choose to take up that challenge and responsibility, varies between individuals, but the child has no say in it – that is, until they are much older. Then the consequences of non-involvement in raising a child (for whatever reason) will surely be obvious.
      Oprah’s quote can be applied to so much of today’s life. We work, we strive to progress and gain more materials and wealth. So often we overlook the ‘doing’ whilst focusing on the destination, the prize at the end. We may get that prize or miss out, even. Then the realization might come that you have reached your goal, but it was the journey that was the best experience of all. Do you aim to live for the moment, the present, Mabel? Rather than for your vision of the future? I catch myself many times focusing forward a little too much. Forward planning is good, but we must remember, that we cannot live the in mythical construct of the what we hope the future might be.

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      1. It really is a bit of a mind blogging quote, and perhaps it really is applicable to generations of the past. Not each child has two parents, and not each child has a mother and father. The idea of family is so different these day, which I think is for the better. No matter how many or kind of parent, there is a lot of responsibility in raising a child.

        Definitely aim to live in the moment. As much as we plan, we can’t always predict the future. Life can be so unpredictable.

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      4. Yes, Mabel. Crazy ideas, seeing different perspectives, new thoughts – all of this lhas the potebtial to lead to progression and personal growth. That is such a good thing for us long term, and worth the unsettling aspect. It is a paradox how we all yearn for calm and stability yet we do need change, spontaneous events and unptedictability in order to avoid stagnation!!

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  4. Love your Header shot, Amanda. 🙂 🙂 I just take the proverb to mean that a mother’s heart is softer than a Dads so easier to reach?

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    1. Hi Jo,
      That explains it very nicely, I think. And it seems fitting. Perhaps in light of gender equality issues are more of a focus in today’s society, people interpret it in those terms. Your interpretation has timeless appeal, no matter how equal the genders become. Of course, some father’s are quite soft and the mother the disciplinarian. All families come in different shapes and sizes.
      Thank you also for the nice compliment on my header shot. It is taken in the Maroochy river, in Queensland, and it is a favourite spot of mine. Another spot in fact, that I intend to write a ‘Monday walk” about one day! I have so many blog post ideas in my head, and not enough time to write them. How do you manage your time to write your posts, Jo?

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