I wanted to title this “Well, my word!” because it was something my grandmother often said in the same way that we would say “Oh my goodness!” or “I can’t believe it!” or some sort of similar exclamation.  The title wouldn’t fit though because  the truth is this post isn’t about my words, but the words of others.

I like to collect quotes or sayings that make me aspire to something more, that fit in with my values or interests, that inspire, encourage, or just tickle something inside of me releasing a needed laugh.  I’ve never had a way to organize my collection of quotes before.  I don’t take the time to sit down and write (or even type) them out or if I do I’m never sure how to categorize them so that I can find them by subject when I want to.  I want the ‘paper’ that I keep to be useful to me, not look like a rat’s nest!  I tried devoting a scrap book solely to my quotes but I don’t have the time to adhere them to the pages and I still need a way to look up certain themes (you know me and themes).  I have finally come up with something fairly primitive that is working for me, for now.  I went out and purchased an inexpensive, over-sized, index card box with alphabetical dividers included.  I took out each divider, wrote on it all the categories I could think of that start with that letter and then delved into my extensive loose pile (numbering in the hundreds) of quotes.  Of course this doesn’t include those I’ve saved on my computer, or have written in journals or scrapbooks, unless I have duplicates (and have found many) of the same quote.  I tossed the duplicates with abandon now having a system to file them away.  When I come upon a new one, I go to the category I want to file it in, check as quickly a I can to see if I already have stored it, and then add it to the box.  I may have to go get another box – soon.  I’m like a squirrel putting away peanuts, which makes me think of  “Make a nest of pleasant thoughts.” - John Ruskin

I taught some classes at a tiny, private school for a year and I would start off each day by having a quote written on the white board.  Sometimes it would just be a silent form of speaking to the students, some days we would discuss it or they would ask questions about it.  Even some of the other teachers would come into my room curious to see what quote I had chosen to put up on the board.

I want to do the same thing here.  Get real folks; I’m not going to write a daily post, so I’m going to aim for once a week.  I reserve the freedom to tweak that as needed.  When thinking about this post, I had a hard time deciding what topic from my plethora of quotes I wanted to start with.  I mean, what really prompted me to do this (for I’ve had the idea to since I first began this blog) was the quote I read recently.  “Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable.” – Peter F. Drucker

Then I thought about it being the winter season for a few more weeks yet and the whole subject of words and I thought maybe I’d use “One kind word can warm three winter months.” – Japanese proverb   I remembered that John and I have had one acquaintance, two family friends, and one family member pass away in a week’s time and “Who well lives, long lives; for this age of ours should not be numbered by years, days, and hours.” – Du Bartes ended up in my thoughts.  And I know three who are having birthdays this week (If you’re reading, you know who you are) and I wanted to choose “Age does not make us childish, as they say.  It only finds us true children still.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  As I was contemplating all this, I received a quote from my brother-in-law after I had commented on a couple of my nieces drawings, that I liked.  Should I use “Being an artist means ceasing to take seriously that very serious person we are when we are not an artist.” – Jose Ortega y Gasset, speaking on the topic of art?  Ultimately, I thought about it being Valentine’s Day the end of this week and knew that is the theme I would choose.  So here it is:  “Courtship consists of a number of quiet attentions…not so pointed as to alarm, yet not so vague as to be misunderstood.” – Sterne

If you haven’t guessed already, I want this to be an interactive blog.  SO, what I’d like from you is:  a) your comments on any of the above quotes AND/OR,  b) share with me a quote having to do with love or the heart in honor of Valentine’s Day.  Oh, and thanks!  Have fun!

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