Justin Bieber
Following the wonderfully inspirational quote by Justin Bieber posted by DOT (Dai of Tanzania) – ‘You don’t need to go to church to be a Christian. If you go to Taco Bell, that doesn’t make you a Taco.’ – I have realised that I have missed a marvellous opportunity to encourage my faithful followers and dedicated devotees. In my wisdom, therefore, I have chosen some of the most inspirational, aspirational and motivational sayings I could find and will interpret them for you so that you may live longer, more fulfilling and happier lives.
1. ‘Don’t be afraid to stand for what you believe in, even if that means standing alone…’ (Andy Biersack)
I believe that this is one that all England rugby supporters should take to heart after their defeat in the World Cup. I also believe that anyone with the name Biersack should be an inspiration to all!
2. ‘When the past calls, let it go to voicemail, believe me, it has nothing new to say.’
When the past calls …
This only works if you have succeeded in setting up Voicemail on your phone, which I haven’t. Personally, I would say, ‘When the past calls, it usually means you’ve forgotten to pay a bill.’
3. ‘When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.’ (Persian proverb)
This only applies if there are no clouds in the night sky, so I would amend it to ‘When it is dark enough, you know it is night – or you’re in a tunnel.’
4. ‘We can do anything we want to if we stick to it long enough.’ (Helen Keller)
This is clearly about diets, but life is too short to be on a diet ALL the time!
5. ‘Your goal should be just out of reach, but not out of sight.’ (Denis Waitley and Remi Witt)
It’s a bit like looking for things in the kitchen cupboard, isn’t it? The tomato ketchup is always at the back, just out of reach, but not out of sight. I suggest you get a small stepladder for such occasions.
6. ‘Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a floor, upon which one walks as a matter of course and prescriptive right.’ (Aldous Huxley)
I can only assume that dear old Mr Huxley had had too much to drink – I have found that ceilings become floors (and vice versa) after a little too much Pinot Grigio.
7. ‘Wisdom is better than gold or silver.’ (German proverb)
But you can’t spend wisdom, so I’d go for the gold and silver every time.
8. ‘Learn to hold loosely all that is not eternal.’ (A. Maude Royden)
This is clearly about men’s underpants – need I say more?
Rust Never Sleeps!
9. ‘The more a man knows, the more he forgives.’ (Catherine the Great)
Not with some of the men I know! More like ‘The more a man knows, the more he’ll try to tell you about it in great detail.’ One could, of course, change it: ‘The more a woman knows, the more hold she has over you.’
And, finally, my favourite:
10. ‘Rust never sleeps.’ Sibling, circa Oct 2015
This is the mantra by which we should all live our lives. Never has a truer word been spoken and I find myself repeating this under my breath throughout the day. If nothing else, it ensures that no one sits next to you on the bus as you whisper to yourself, ‘Rust never sleeps.’
Sleep well, dear acolytes!
Of course, “Rust Never sleeps” has several deeper meanings, as you can see in this beautiful video from The Australian Corrosion Association.
Although you may prefer Neil Young’s Version from his album.