Indeed it is possible to stand with one foot on the inevitable 'banana peel' of life with both eyes peering into the Great Beyond, and still be happy, comfortable, and serene - if we will even so much as smile.
Interpretation
The quote suggests that one can find happiness and serenity despite the uncertainties and challenges of life.
Douglas Fairbanks highlights the idea that life is inherently uncertain and filled with potential pitfalls, metaphorically represented by the 'banana peel.' However, he posits that even in the face of these inevitable challenges, we have the power to choose our mindset. By smiling and embracing a positive perspective, we can maintain a sense of happiness, comfort, and serenity.
In practice
In a motivational speech about resilience, one could use this quote to inspire the audience to maintain a positive outlook despite life's challenges.
The man who is gloomy, taciturn and lives in a world of doubt seldom achieves more than a bare living. There have been a few who have groaned their way through to a competence, but in proportion to that overwhelming number of souls who carry cheer through life, they are as nothing - mere drops in the bucket.
According to traditional wisdom in rural France, a baby in the womb should be compared to fruit on the tree. Not all the fruit on the same tree is ripe at the same time...we must accept that some babies need a much longer time than others before they are ready to be born.
If you see what you do each day as your way of loving the world and helping it heal, then life gets to be a lot different. The difference between burning up and burning out is the difference between loving what you are doing and not loving it.
I feel it's important to be active. People who retire, sit by their swimming pool and golf course and plan to relax have a very empty life.
I am 55 years old now. It takes three years to write one book. I don't know how many books I will be able to write before I die. It is like a countdown. So with each book I am praying - please let me live until I am finished.
Sometimes bad luck hits you like in an ancient Greek tragedy, and it's not your own making. When you have a plane crash, it's not your fault.
My grandfather was a Pullman porter, and my father put his way through college by cleaning floors at night in the libraries. I understand that working people are in some way the bedrock of my existence and the existence of many people here.
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