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Proverbial Friday -Wise words

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.

If you stop every time a dog barks, your road will never end.

~ Saudi Arabian Proverb

“A problem is a chance for you to do your best.”

–Duke Ellington

What do you make of the sayings for this week?

General Adams appears to be advocating against arguing with those who live to argue? Do you agree?

And then the barking dog in Saudi Arabia – a word on perseverance and avoiding distraction, perhaps?

Finally, Duke Ellington had some positive encouragement for us to problem solve our way through life.

How do you handle problems in your life?

Do you have an old habitual way of addressing them, or is every reaction of yours, individualized to the event?

Are you someone who seeks advice from others when you face a difficult challenge or alternatively, someone who prefers to process problems through venting to sympathetic friends or family?

Leave a comment to join in the discussion.

St P A

Proverbial Friday

Something to ponder about

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.

21 thoughts on “Proverbial Friday -Wise words”

  1. Pingback: Proverbial Friday | Nut House Central

  2. All very interesting quotes. I couldn’t read the pink one with the pig but I think you explained it below. I’ve learned not to argue with anyone. Most people don’t want your point of view and are unwilling to think about it or change theirs. Unless they ask I keep to myself. If the opportunity arises I try to enlighten gently. It works better than an argument. That will usually shut down anyone’s mind. I’ve found most people have some odd solutions to any problem I have so I’ve learned to keep my own council. I put it out to the Universal Source and wait for the solution to appear. Sometimes, it takes longer than I would like so I just have to keep my mind off it until the solution presents itself. It always does. I agree with the Saudi proverb of avoiding distraction to get where you are going. Easier said than done. 🙂

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    1. General Adams said: Never get in a fight with a pig, as you get all dirty and they enjoy it. The font doesn’t seem to work very well when compressed on the image I used. I will try to enlarge it some.
      The Saudis perhaps have some very long journeys and need reminding about their goal so as to resist distractions! But it is not just Saudis that this proverb can apply to. All of us might heed those words when the goal is vitally important. Sometimes we get distracted by the most inane things and sometimes also the loveliest things, both serving to take away our attention from the purpose to which our mind is set. The barking dog might be alerting us to a danger, or somethign fun, and while we should, or could, take note of it, it should not let us change our course entirely!
      As for arguments it sounds like you have a wonderful way of looking at them. ‘Enlighten gently’ sounds like the kindest of phrases. You seek to educate but not at the expense of the other person’s ego. Which is wise, as some folks’ egos are very delicate and if they sense criticism will shut down, (just as you mentioned), and refuse to listen to any point of view other than their own, no matter how logical it is. Bruises on the ego blocks the ears!
      But do we really fully listen to someone else’s point of view? I mean really listen to the underlying meaning and its origin as well as the words themselves. I know I think I am a fairly good listener but often times I catch myself not focusing on the other person’s words and need to listen better.
      I also like the way you approach problems, Marlene. Letting the solutions waft through the ether and arrive when they do, without trying to rush or force them forward. When I read that, I thought of a painting/art piece I might paint. I reach a point where I consider it is complete, yet I am not satisfied with it. The more I look at it, I cannot be sure what it is, that is missing. Yet when I walk away from it, and let it cook for a while, the answer then becomes obvious once I return. I am able to look at the problem with fresh eyes and see things that were blocked to me before. Each person needs to create a little space for their individual problems to settle out!

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      1. Bruises on the ego blocks the ears! I love this! So very true. Also letting things cook. It’s always best to walk away for a bit then come back to it. Very wise. You are right. Some people love the argument. I’m not one of them. I consider it a waste of time.

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  4. The Saudi Arabian proverb has a deeper meaning. Dogs are unclean in the Koran, so if you touch them or vice-versa you have to go through an elaborate cleansing/prayer ritual. I looked after street dogs in Cairo and I still remember my trepidation at going to the end of the road. Not because I didn’t want to touch them but they would jump up and dirty my clean clothes…

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    1. This is so interesting, Kerry. I did not know about the reaction to dogs in Arabia. Thanks so much. It is often the case that there is a hidden meaning in proverbs and different cultures interpret them differently. Thanks for adding to the discussion.

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  6. My fav of this week is the dog barking one!
    I also feel it is referring to distractions – and not necessarily the pleasant ones
    But maybe eneough to startle and all the more we train to learn how to keep focused even with noise like barking – (cos it can be loud – some pups – eh?)

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  7. Yes maybe! I agree it could be taken to mean one should be careful not to be too distracted, in a pleasant or unpleasant way, from your goal. Thanks for the comment, Yvette.

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