Character and Conduct – 14 January – The ‘Ifs’ of Life

IF it were – if it might be – if it could be – if it had been.   One portion of mankind go through life always regretting, always whining, always imagining.   As it is – this is the way in which the other class of people look at the conditions in which they find themselves.   I venture to say that if one should count the ifs and the ases in the conversation of his acquaintances, he would find the more able and important persons among them – statesmen, generals, men of business – among the ases, and the majority of conspicuous failures among the ifs.

Over the Teacups, O. W. HOLMES

IT is sad, indeed, to see how man wastes his opportunities.   How many could be made happy, with the blessings which are recklessly wasted or thrown away!   Happiness is a condition of Mind, not a result of circumstances;  and, in the words of Dugald Stewart, the great secret of happiness is to accommodate ourselves to things external, rather than to struggle to accommodate external things to ourselves.   Hume wisely said that a happy disposition was better than an estate of £ 10,000 a year.   Try to realise all the blessings you have, and you will find perhaps that they are more than you suppose.   Many a blessing has been recognised too late.

Lord AVEBURY

THE pleasure of life is according to the man that lives it, and not according to the work or the place.

EMERSON

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These quotes are from ‘Character and Conduct’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1905 as a follow up to her volume of Daily Readings for members of the Being and Doing Guild who asked for an additional volume

In her preface Whishaw writes:

‘This collection of noble thoughts expressed by men and women of past and present ages who have endeavoured to leave the world a little better than they found it.’

It is my hope in publishing the her readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.