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Madness, Death and Perseverance - 3 quotes for the week

Wisdom Wednesday #1

By Atlas Aristotle Published about a year ago 3 min read
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Madness, Death and Perseverance - 3 quotes for the week
Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash

Every Wednesday, I share what I believe to be wise statements. This can include short stories, quotes or life experience. My goal is to encourage others to think about life with a clearer vision and get an understanding of how someone ought to live.

Today I am going to show you quotes from an author, an artist, and a mad man. Enjoy!

1) Ryan holiday bestselling author writes beautifully about death. He challenges our notion that we will all live long lives and that when we realize our time is drawing near, we will suddenly act different.” what makes you think that you'd magically get it together just because death was now… imminent? you've been a dying person this whole time-since birth. What makes you think you'd suddenly shake off your stupor and you get serious?”. The insight in these two sentences is profound. The idea that your life is happening now: in this moment is one when taken to heart makes everything more special and insignificant at the same time.

Practical: There are only two seasons of life, seasons of preparation and seasons of adventure. There are no seasons of waiting when your life is happening now. You must believe the opportunity ahead will be great and fall in love with the preparation. Because if you can learn to love the day-to-day process you will already have what it takes to love life.

Ryan Hoilday

2) Jack Kerouac, author of “on the road” a classic book published in 1957 which became a fundamental work for the Beat Generation, writes about something I believe the world could use more of: passion. "The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing”. This quote reminds me of a phrase from the Divine Comedy - "man does not desire enough.". People only long for the local goods - the cars, the houses and the clothes, instead of the ultimate goods-a full heart and the beauty of character . I agree today's people lack passion, everyone is playing it safe, everyone is acting like house cats instead of lions. Man has traded in courage for comfort. That does not have to be the case though and you see that in narrow sections of the Internet, individuals are trying to defy the default and put their heart on the line. Individual trying to be in it with all the heart is what I believe will eventually flip the culture of apathy.

Jack Kerouac's "On the Road"

3) The last quote comes from Vincent van Gogh, an artist from the 19th century who painted the world-renowned starry night. "In spite of everything, I shall rise again; I will take up my pencil, which I have forsaken in my great discouragement, and I will go on with my drawing “. This is a man who painted over 1000 paintings in his life but only sold 100. Most were sold for other works of art and scraps of food but Van Gogh never settled for the conventional path. In spite of poverty, in spite of hardship, in spite of sorrow, Van Gogh was not deterred from who he was. In spite of everything he committed to rising again-to aim at the betterment of himself. When you are struggling, when you walk through the valley of death, commit to finishing. Remind yourself if I am worth something later I am worth something now.

Vincent Van Gogh

Wisdom is not like other areas of study - whereas in math you can progress at a constant rate with intention, wisdom requires meditation. The goal is to plant these ideas into your head, allowing them to flourish so that they can move to your heart. and in time they will move from your heart to your hands and the world will be a better place for it

In good faith

Kene Ezeaputa

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About the Creator

Atlas Aristotle

Trying to do my best

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