When things go wrong and will not come right, Though you do the best you can, When life looks black as the hour of night, A PINT OF PLAIN IS YOUR ONLY MAN.
Flann O'BrienRead
After a time," said old Mathers disregarding me, "I mercifully perceived the errors of my ways and the unhappy destination I would reach unless I mended them. I retired from the world in order to try to comprehend it and to find out why it becomes more unsavoury as the years accumulate on a man's body. What do you think I discovered at the end of my meditations?" I felt pleased again. He was now questioning me. "What?" "That No is a better word than Yes," he replied.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the value of recognizing one's mistakes and the importance of saying 'no' over 'yes' to better navigate life's challenges.
In this quote, old Mathers reflects on his life and the realization that acknowledging one's faults can lead to personal growth. He suggests that as people age, they often become more burdened by the complexities of life, but through introspection, he discovered that learning to refuse and set boundaries is more beneficial than readily accepting every situation or request. This insight encapsulates a profound understanding of wisdom gained from life experiences.
Themes
WisdomNoYesBoundariesSelf-ReflectionGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
In a self-help seminar discussing personal boundaries, this quote could exemplify the power of saying 'no'.
More from Flann O'Brien
All quotes →Past humanity is not only implicit in each new man born but is contained in him. Humanity is an ever-widening spiral and life is the beam that plays briefly on each succeeding ring. All humanity from its beginning to its end is already present but the beam has not yet played beyond you.
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I saw that my witticism was unperceived and quietly replaced it in the treasury of my mind.
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Your talk," I said, "is surely the handiwork of wisdom because not one word of it do I understand.
Flann O'BrienRead
The continual cracking of your feet on the road makes a certain quantity of road come up into you. When a man dies they say he returns to clay but too much walking fills you up with clay far sooner (or buries bits of you along the road) and brings your death half-way to meet you. It is not easy to know what is the best way to move yourself from one place to another.
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Strange enlightenments are vouchsafed to those who seek the higher places.
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