The best that can be said of my life so far is that it has been industrious, and the best that can be said of me is that I have not pretended to what I was not.
Maria MitchellRead
I have just gone over my comet computations again, and it is humiliating to perceive how very little more I know than I did seven years ago when I first did this kind of work.
Interpretation
The quote reflects the humble realization of the limits of one's knowledge despite years of effort.
Maria Mitchell expresses a sense of humility and frustration regarding her progress in understanding comets over the past seven years. Her observation indicates that despite her hard work and dedication to the study, she recognizes that the vastness of knowledge is such that her personal growth feels minimal in comparison. This sentiment underscores the ongoing journey of learning and the challenge of truly mastering a subject.
In practice
In a lecture about the limits of scientific knowledge.
The best that can be said of my life so far is that it has been industrious, and the best that can be said of me is that I have not pretended to what I was not.
To read a book, to think it over, and to write out notes is a useful exercise; a book which will not repay some hard thought is not worth publishing.
There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness.
Study as if you were going to live forever; live as if you were going to die tomorrow.
I am just learning to notice the different colors of the stars, and already begin to have a new enjoyment.
We travel to learn; and I have never been in any country where they did not do something better than we do it, think some thoughts better than we think, catch some inspiration from heights above our own.
Travel is the best investment you can make in yourself. It teaches you that there are many ways to live a good, fulfilled life. It broadens your world view, yet makes you appreciate home all the more.
The best and most important part of every man's education is that which he gives himself.
I believe that access to a university education should be based on the ability to learn, not what people can afford. I think there is no more nauseating a sight than politicians pulling up the ladder of opportunity behind them.
You cannot make thousands of universities or hundreds of thousands of professors, but with technology and the Internet you can have great courses and make a digital university.
I understand now my father really thought he was doing me good. Education means a lot to Palestinians. We’ve become some of the most educated people in the world through our diaspora. We’ve had to be. When you ain’t got land, your degree may be your only solid ground. May father felt (feels) that being a doctor would give me security. How can I explain that I’m not safe from anything if I don’t write?
I'm kind of old-school and love nothing more than sitting, opening a book, and reading it. But I also love listening to audio books.
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