Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy.
Interpretation
While penicillin heals physical ailments, wine provides joy and happiness to people.
This quote by Alexander Fleming contrasts the medicinal properties of penicillin, which is critical for health and healing, with the joyful effects of wine, suggesting that while medicine addresses our physical needs, happiness and emotional well-being often come from other sources, such as social interactions and enjoyment of life.
In practice
This quote can be used in a toast at a celebration to emphasize the importance of happiness.
One sometimes finds what one is not looking for. When I woke up just after dawn on Sept. 28, 1928, I certainly didn’t plan to revolutionize all medicine by discovering the world’s first antibiotic, or bacteria killer. But I guess that was exactly what I did.
Suggested remedy for the common cold: A good gulp of whiskey at bedtime-it's not very scientific, but it helps.
I have been trying to point out that in our lives chance may have an astonishing influence and, if I may offer advice to the young laboratory worker, it would be this-never neglect an extraordinary appearance or happening. It may be-usually is, in fact-a false alarm that leads to nothing, but may on the other hand be the clue provided by fate to lead you to some important advance.
It is the lone worker who makes the first advance in a subject: the details may be worked out by a team, but the prime idea is due to the enterprise, thought, and perception of an individual.
Have the depth of faith to regard everything as a source for creating happiness and value.
Knowing you have something good to read before bed is among the most pleasurable of sensations.
By breaking down our sense of self-importance, all we lose is a parasite that has long infected our minds. What we gain in return is freedom, openness of mind, spontaneity, simplicity, altruism: all qualities inherent in happiness.
Too many people limit their happiness and success by assuming that taking time off from work will send a negative message to their manager and slow their career advancement.
The times in my life when I have been most happy haven't been the times when I have had the most money or the most freedom or the most anything, but rather when I've been in love or in community or right with people.
Perhaps it's because I appreciate all I have so much that I don't worry about what I haven't got.
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