Aphorisms

What is an “aphorism”? It’s a truth, subjective perhaps, but a truth; the better ones are cleverly, if not paradoxically, stated. A few classics:

Less is more.

A stitch in time saves nine.

A man never steps into the same river twice.

Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience deceptive, judgment difficult.

Aphorisms are gems of wisdom.

There was a time when in the Ancient Near East wisdom schools proliferated.

Now we spend our time with March madness.

I like to write my own, some more didactic than artful, I admit.

It’s part of my “New Year’s Resolutions” exercise, which usually lasts all year.

Here they are for 2013:

Stay in the moment, but plan ahead.

Today is going to require more patience than you expect.

Stop and think before speaking or acting but not for too long.

Treat everyone as if s/he were holy – most of the time.

Listen and learn with skepticism.

Fear no illness or injury – even if you are a coward!

The enemy is excess.

The void exists.

Give it a try!