by Andrea Theisson

Created on: June 11, 2009   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

Wisdom, well-expressed, is a priceless gift. Voices or words of those who have truly lived and learned can help us all stay on track, focus more fully on goals or issues, discover a breakthrough in our own thought process, soothe a hard time, and uplift us. We seem to need that last one more and more often. Insight should be one of the major food (for thought) groups! Most of us have collections of sayings we live by. Whenever words fly up at me from the printed page as I read, I intercept them instantly, knowing they are for me. I turn them over carefully in my mind and cling to them hard. says David Grayson in The Red Rose Collection's Collect Your Thoughts.

The insights of the wise are beyond the body of human knowledge. There is more to these thoughts, which transcend time and appeal to a wide cross-section of humanity, than to the dull, ordinary mundane information we need to function. Real wisdom is a synthesis of an individual's experience and cultural commonalities. There is a universal appeal to succinct wisdom. Observations and wit can be appreciated even out of context, if worded clearly.

Human reality is multi-cultural, yet some thoughts translate better than others. Certainly, all wisdom can be interpreted and explained, but the greatest quotes stand alone. Parents often rely upon maxims and anecdotes to get their message embedded in children's minds. It works. Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. Ben Franklin is an example from when the availability of the printing press and a formative stage of our American lifestyle came together, when most children were schooled at home. Poor Richard's Almanac was popular in many forms, and his quips are still taught from memory! Every culture has their Poor Richard, or a verbal history to quote.

Healing and comic relief can be part of inspiration, too. There is perspective and humor in quotes from Mae West, W. Somerset Maugham, George Carlin, and all the greats. Some amazing political solutions have come from the popularity of quotes, slogans for change, and (yes) bumper stickers - quotes on wheels. Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living. (Mother Jones)

Along with the great philosophers, carved in stone, we also have Farmers' Almanacs, Quote of the Day calendars, datebooks with daily quotes, newspaper fill and features, spiritual marquees, billboards, and even Reader's Digest. We even have internet versions such as HeartMath, the Daily Om, etc. Quotes have permeated every level of society, an obvious need. Brief bits of wisdom are in demand. We crave centering, profundity and direction in these chaotic times.

Whether in the form of a meditation or a trigger to brilliant thoughts, inspiration is a bright spot in our day, a raison d'etre a reason to BE, sometimes a much-needed reason to just go on. A quotation a day will keep the doldrums away? The condensed version of wisdom in a brief quote can be remembered, repeated and treasured easily. Drawing upon the energy of collective and proven wisdom is a wonderfully reassuring short-cut, a jump-start to our personal evolution of character, healing, and resources.

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