Skip to main content

Quote of the Day -- What Do You Think?

Today's quote of the day comes from Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826). Not only was he was the third president of the United States, but the revered Founding Father also wrote the Declaration of Independence, founded the University of Virginia, and pulled off the Louisiana Purchase, among other notable accomplishments.

"It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness." - Thomas Jefferson

I think what Thomas Jefferson was trying to say in a nutshell is that it's the simple things in life that truly hold value and brings us true joy. Reading a great book, taking a tranquil walk around the park, connecting with nature, petting your cat -- it's these simple moments that makes us the happiest, yet we often take them for granted.

Instead, we become overly focused on acquiring more and more material possessions, being promoted into jobs that require longer hours and thus more time away from our families, and so on.

I think the world has become so fast-paced and technologically advanced that we fail to appreciate the little things our ancestors themselves probably viewed as enjoyable, like telling stories by the fireplace, reading books to their kids, etc. It's all about instant gratification these days -- and whatever is in style today may become outdated tomorrow.

We should make the effort -- at least every once in a while -- to sit back and enjoy life's little pleasures. Put down the cell phone and turn the TV off. Take a walk and explore nature, read an enthralling book, or just catch up with a good friend over dinner.

We make life more complicated than it should be.

Do you agree?




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Women vs. Men: Who likes to backstab more?

Whether it's on TV or in the workplace, the general consensus seems to be that women gossip, backstab, and stir up more conflict than men do. But, as with every other topic, I thought it only fair to put this so-called stereotype under the microscope. If you watch reality shows like Celebrity Apprentice, you'll notice it's the women who spend far more time bickering. While the men do at times become embroiled in tit for tat, it's the women who are portrayed as meaner and more hostile. In the workplace, I have noticed that women seem to gossip far more than their male counterparts. I haven't really seen any cases where a person blatantly backstabs the other, but I have caught both men and women in little white lies. If it is true that women are generally more into backstabbing and gossiping than men, why is this the case? I believe that it isn't fair to make a blanket statement like "all women play these games while all men keep to themselves and pre...
1 comment
Read More

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it?  After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...
6 comments
Read More

Men prefer to marry brunettes

Study after study shows that men prefer blondes as girlfriends or mistresses and brunettes as wives . It seems many men see brunettes as more trustworthy and loyal. What's more, even though participants claimed that blondes are better in bed, they feel brunettes are better kissers and more affectionate than blondes. I find these results to be rather interesting. In my high school and early college days, I actually had a preference for blondes myself -- that is, until I hooked up with my now-wife. From that point on, I deemed brunettes as more attractive and marriage material, probably because they reminded me of and more closely resembled her. I think we can blame Hollywood, shows like Baywatch, and Playboy for painting blondes as wild, big chested, promiscuous and loose. (Yes, I know that there are brunettes in Playboy, but they seem to be in the minority.) When someone tells a man to think of an attractive blonde, who do you think likely crosses his mind? More likely than...
Post a Comment
Read More