Betrand Russell's Quotes

Many a man will have the courage to die gallantly, but will not have the courage to say, or even to think, that the cause for which he is asked to die is an unworthy one.
(To some of the veterans of Vietnam Wars, Iraq Wars, and the soldiers under Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan)

One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important.

The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it.

To acquire immunity to eloquence is of the utmost importance to the citizens of a democracy.

To be able to concentrate for a considerable time is essential to difficult achievement.

Ted Kennedy's story told by his son

"When I was 12 years old I was diagnosed with bone cancer and a few months after I lost my leg, there was a heavy snowfall over my childhood home outside of Washington, D.C. My father went to the garage to get the old Flexible Flyer and asked me if I wanted to go sledding down the steep driveway. I was trying to get used to my new artificial leg and the hill was covered with ice and snow and it wasn't easy for me to walk ... As I struggled to walk, I slipped and I fell on the ice and I started to cry and I said, 'I can't do this.' I said, 'I'll never be able to climb that hill.' And he lifted me in his strong, gentle arms and said something I'll never forget. He said, 'I know you'll do it. There is nothing you can't do. We're going to climb that hill together, even if it takes us all day.'

"Sure enough, he held me around my waist and we slowly made it to the top, and, you know, at age 12, losing a leg pretty much seems like the end of the world, but as I climbed onto his back and we flew down the hill that day I knew he was right. I knew I was going to be OK. You see, my father taught me that even our most profound losses are survivable.''

道德经 英译1

第七十三章： 勇于敢则杀，勇于不敢则活。此两者，或利或害。天之所恶，孰知其故？是以圣人犹难之。天之道，不争而善胜，不言而善应，不召而自来，坦然而善谋。天网恢恢，疏而不失。

(There are two types of courage:)
One man's courage is to show his bravery and never retreat,
he will lose his life eventually.
Another man's courage comes from daring not to show bravery,
he will save his life and fight another day.【1】

Of these two, when is it good and when is it bad? and what is the truth?
If what is unfavorable to God is yet to be known,
even the Godly man has a hard time to choose.

The laws of God is as follows:
You don't have to confront others to win;
you don't have to say anything to be heard;
you don't have to call others (to join you) and they will follow nevertheless;
just relax and be comfortable with the facts
and you will have wisdom you need.

For the meshes of God's net are loose indeed,
yet no one ever escape
His judgment when time is up.

有两种勇气
一种人的勇气在于表现勇敢，绝不退缩
他最终因此丧命
一种人的勇气在于敢于不表现勇敢
他们得以保全生命，择日再来 【1】

这两种，有时有利，有时又不利。
如果上天所不喜悦的我们一无所知，
就是圣人也难以选择啊！

上天的道在于：
不与人相争就善于取胜
不多说却善于回应
不用征召人们自然来跟随
坦然面对现实就自有谋略出来

因为神的大网撒下
网眼纵然稀疏
却无人能躲过上天的审判

【1】参见苏轼《留侯论》：匹夫见辱，拔剑而起，挺身而斗，天下有大勇者，此不足为勇也。天下有大勇者，卒然临之而不惊，无故加之而不怒。

John Adams' best speech

The founding father's speech about "Liberty" (from HBO series "John Adams"):

Let it be known, that British liberties are not the grants of the princes and parliaments. That many of our rights are inherent and essential, agreed on as maxim and established as preliminaries, even before parliaments existed.

We have a right to them, derived from our Maker. Our forefathers have earned and bought liberties for us at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasures, and their blood.

Liberty is not built on the doctrines that a few nobles have a right to inherit the earth.

NO, NO!

It stands on this principle that the meanest and lowest of the people are, by the unalterable indefeasible laws of God and nature, as well entitled to the benefits of the air to breathe, the food to eat, and cloth to wear, as the nobles or the king.

That is liberty, and liberty will reign in America!

John Adams, Second President of the USA
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." [October 11, 1798]

enthusiasm

Enthusiasm originally meant inspiration or possession by the presence of a god.

Nobby's quote

"The happiest people do not have
the best of everything;
They just make the best of everything."

-- nobbyinfo.com

生于忧患，死于安乐

孟子短文，不足二百字，有理有据，一气呵成，堪称精品。我以为：

相比家喻户晓的第二节，三，四节更能说明孟子的本意。


舜发于畎亩之中，傅说举于版筑之中，胶鬲举于鱼盐之中，管夷吾举于士，孙叔敖举于海，百里奚举于市。

故天将降大任于是人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨，饿其体肤，空乏其身，行 拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，曾益其所不能。

人恒过，然后能改；困于心，衡于虑，而后作（注：振作）；征（注：征兆） 于色，发于声，而后喻 （注：明白）。入则无法家拂士，出则无敌国外患者，国恒亡。

然后知生于忧患，而死于安乐也。

圣经：
忍受试炼的人有福了，因为他既受试验得了称许，就必得着生命的冠冕，这是主应许给那些爱祂之人的。 雅 1:12

你们要进窄门；因为引到毁坏的，那门宽，那路阔，进去的人也多；引到生命的，那门窄，那路狭，找着的人也少。 马太福音 7:13-14

因为心思置于肉体，就是死；心思置于灵，乃是生命平安。罗马书 8:6

哥林多后书

4:7	但我们有这宝贝在瓦器里，要显明这超越的能力，是属于神，不是出于我们；
4:8	我们四面受压，却不被困住；出路绝了，却非绝无出路；
4:9	遭逼迫，却不被撇弃；打倒了，却不至灭亡；
4:10	身体上常带着耶稣的治死，使耶稣的生命也显明在我们的身体上。

Book: The Power of Adversity

Al Weatherhead truly believes that “tough times can make you stronger, wiser and better.” Having faced serious arthritis, heart disease, family estrangements and a battle with alcohol, he knows and understands adversity. He also has been able to leverage that adversity into both personal and professional success. This enlightening and inspiring book offers lessons on taking the worst of life and turning it into the best of life. Even the most serious problems can become life transitions to better and more productive times. This is Al Weatherhead’s story of changing adversity from an enemy to an ally, and instead of asking “Why me?” ask “Why not me?”

We’re Not Meant to be Happy...
We’re Meant to Grow

”When written in Chinese the word "crisis" is composed of two characters - one represents danger and the other represents opportunity.”

- John F. Kennedy

The Rules for Mastering Adversity
I.	We’re not meant to be happy... we’re meant to grow.
II.	Positive thinking is imperative.
III.	You are not at the center of the universe.
IV.	Instead of “Why me?... Why not me?
V.	It is luckier to earn than to receive.
VI.	Be ‘self-ish’ and put yourself first, by putting yourself last.
VII.	Never think “I have to do it. Instead think “I have it to do.”
VIII.	I suffer passes... I suffered never passes... A blade remains tempered long after the fire that scorched it has faded away.
IX.	Cultivate the seven ‘self-ish’ Virtues of modesty, gratitude, courtesy, self-control, compassion, perseverance, and indomitable spirit to conquer your adversity.
X.	Adversity creates walls... When you tear down those walls you create spectacular vistas of self-potential.
XI.	Leverage sweat equity built up by surviving previous trouble to help master current adversity.
XII.	Adversity always grants a chance to creatively resolve the problem.
XIII.	Running away never helps.
XIV.	Overcoming adversity requires the right attitude... meditation.... communication... and sharing.
XV.	Have the right idea about money. Success isn’t just possessions and power.
XVI.	Practice responsibility, loyalty, consideration -- the magic formula that is the secret to life.
XVII.	Always get the facts... real facts, not the imagined ones.
XVIII.	Treat time as your most valuable resource.
XIX.	Get perspective through acts of charity to others.
XX.	Adversity provides the only real opportunity to make an incredible difference in your life and the world.
XXI.	Come to see problem solving as one of the great joys of life.
XXII.	There is always a great idea lurking in adversity... Will you find it?