by J. Paxton

Created on: November 12, 2008

I have always been a sucker for interesting quotes and am constantly on the lookout for the perfect conversations to slip them into. Some friends of mine are irritated by this habit of mine, but I've had others tell them the right words have really helped them out in a rough patch. About a year ago, I started writing short messages on dollar bills as a way of sending out some joy or hope into the world. They range from the simple "life is good", "someone loves you", "keep smiling" types of inspiration, to some more famous lines that have personally helped me out when I'm in a dark spot of life. Here are some of my favorites:

"A life without passion is unforgivable".

"Where there is love, there is life." (Mahatma Ghandi)

"Breakdowns can cause breakthroughs."

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." (Anne Frank)

"God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry its weight." (Reggie White)

"Whatever your past has been, your future is spotless."

"An unexamined life is not worth living." (Socrates)

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." (Oscar Wilde)

"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." (Confucius)

"You have to risk going too far to discover just how far you can really go." (T.S. Elliot)

"It's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." (Marylin Monroe)

"Smile when it hurts most."

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle." (Plato)

"If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything." (Win Borden)

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs people who have come alive." (Howard Thurman)

"Happiness comes from the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed." (Storm Jameson)

"I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." (Winston Churchill)

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." (Mae West)

My personal favorite (which I still use to sign my letters with) actually came from an experience a friend of mine had. She was leaving a diner, and as she walked to her car, she noticed a few elderly gentlemen coming her way. As she passed them, she heard one call out some advice that I will never forget and have made something of a personal motto:

"Drive fast and take chances".

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