The misery of man proceeds not from any single crush of overwhelming evil, but from small vexations continually repeated.
Interpretation
Human misery stems from constant minor annoyances rather than a single, large source of pain.
This quote by Samuel Johnson suggests that the ongoing, repeated frustrations in life contribute more to human suffering than does a singular, significant event. It highlights the cumulative effect of small irritations, indicating that it's often these subtle, daily grievances that weigh heavily on one's mental state, rather than a catastrophic challenge or hardship.
In practice
During a team-building workshop, to illustrate how small issues can affect productivity.
To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are distant, and which is animated only by faith and hope, will glide by degrees out of the mind unless it be invigorated and reimpressed by external ordinances, by stated calls to worship, and the salutary influence of example.
He that reads and grows no wiser seldom suspects his own deficiency, but complains of hard words and obscure sentences, and asks why books are written which cannot be understood.
To let friendship die away by negligence and silence is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw away one of the greatest comforts of the weary pilgrimage.
Fly-fishing may be a very pleasant amusement; but angling or float fishing I can only compare to a stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other.
When any anxiety or gloom of the mind takes hold of you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaining; but exert yourselves to hide it, and by endeavoring to hide it you drive it away.
A fishing rod is a stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.
Man is a history-making creature, who can neither repeat his past, nor leave it behind.
There are massive efforts on the part of the internet's corporate owners to try to direct it to become a technique of marginalisation and control.
You might say, 'Can't we have a more human Christianity, without the cross, without Jesus, without stripping ourselves?' In this way we'd become pastry-shop Christians, like a pretty cake and nice sweet things. Pretty, but not true Christians.
I believe God takes the things in our lives - family, background, education - and uses them as part of his calling. It might not be to become a pastor. But I don't think God wastes anything.
Let me go: take back thy gift: Why should a man desire in any way To vary from the kindly race of men, Or pass beyond the goal of ordinance Where all should pause, as is most meet for all? ...Why wilt thou ever scare me with thy tears, And make me tremble lest a saying learnt, In days far-off, on that dark earth, be true? βThe Gods themselves cannot recall their gifts.β - Tithonus
'Twas but my tongue, 'twas not my soul that swore.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.