Words to Live By

I. Losing something reveals its worth to you.
-Don’t take things for granted.

II. The unspoken word cannot be twisted.
-Think before you speak; you no longer own the words that leave your mouth.

III. You have control over how you react to uncontrollable situations.
-Although much easier said than done, you can choose how an insult affects you.

IV. You only have control over the present.
-You cannot act five minutes ago and five minutes from now you might not be able to act. You can, however, act right now.

V. Whatever the situation, it could be worse.
-If all you can do is blink your eyes, imagine only being able to blink one.

VI. Perfection stands in the way of progress.
-The potter cannot spin a masterpiece with clean hands.

VII. Time does not discriminate what it changes.
-You will age and die like everything before you.

VIII. So much can be lost in such little time.
-Cherish all that brings you happiness; it can be taken away from you suddenly.

IX. Money is not happiness
-Happiness is a relative state of inner contentedness which cannot be bought with money or achieved with drugs.

X. As good exists so too does evil.
-As there are storms so there is calm.

XI. The vastness of the universe provides perspective.
-Consider the size of the earth in the solar system, then the galaxy that holds it, and further, the universe that it is a collection of.

XII. Humility is nobler than pride.
-It is easier to call out a fault than to learn from it.

XIII. Desire is the is the seed of conflict.
-The farther you remove yourself from desire the farther your move from conflict.

XIV. In the end, you will have forgotten much; in the end, much will have forgotten you.
-Live life excitingly and don’t dwell on things you cannot change, like the past.

by Garret Woo

2018-2019