The famous War-Time Prime Minister and British Leader Sir Winston Churchill said,

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.

When I feel compelled to speak, it is sometimes tougher to stay silent than is to speak my mind, and other times, it is more righteous to speak than let be overshadowed in silence. For this reason, it is not in speaking or listening that courage is found, but in the decisive action of doing one lest the other.

A quick side note of trivia: Churchill proposed marriage to the Academy Award-Winning Actress Ethel Barrymore, she declined.
I say she had courage.

Author and Pulitzer-Prize Columnist Anna Quindlen tell us,

The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.

Hamburger king Ray Kroc said,

"When you're green, you're
growing. When you're ripe,
you rot."

Note: Kroc is not the original founder of McDonald's (see wikipedia), he created the corporation franchising McDonald's across the US and internationally.

The literary and spiritual writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson have been loved by generatioins. He is known as a poet, essayist and a gifted writer of prose. Today, he tell us,

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

The great Negro League Pitcher and Baseball Hall of Famer
Satchel Paige said this,

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you was?"

The man's got a point.

On this day of birth, we remember the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Aruthur Conan Doyle, Sr. Though most notable as a writer with over 50 books to his name, Conan was also a respected Physician and merritime surgeon.

Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.

Former US Secretary of State and revered Nobel Peace Prize honoree Henry Kissinger said,

Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem.

Thanks to Puneet for today's quote. 'Go for it. Just go for it.'

Belovedly known to many as Mr. October, Reggie Jackson is a Hall-of-Famer who has inspired many on and off the field.

I didn't come to New York to be a star, I brought my star with me.

Painting by Gabe Perillo

Olympic gold medalist and World Champion Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard jabs...

You have to know you can win. You have to think you can win. You have to feel you can win.

Portrait by Edgar S. Nocom

The 40th American President Ronald Reagan stated...

There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gives us the words of Legendary Detective, Sherlock Holmes...

The temptation to form premature theories upon insufficient data is the bane of our profession.

Do we not all form judgements with incomplete and limited knowledge?

My dear friend Charlie Brown and his creator Charles M. Schulz had this to say...

In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.

How often we attempt to use shortcuts to find success. Start at page 1 and read it through.

American Dance Legend Martha Graham shaped the Art of Dance for more than a century.

"Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body."

Sometimes the most profound quotes have been made without credit to who spoke the words. To me, this means that the wisdom of an 'Anonymous quote' lives in each of our hearts.

Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends.

Born in 1859, Jerome K. Jerome was a master playwright and a heralded author of his day. He is mostly well-known for his comedic work, Three Men in a Boat.

Time is but the shadow of the world upon the background of Eternity.

From his message, let's not watch our shadows, but make them move.

Author, Philosopher and Jesuit Priest Teilhard de Chardin shares with us...

You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.

Spiritual leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba tells us,

Life is a challenge, meet it! Life is a dream, realize it! Life is a game, play it! Life is Love, enjoy it!

As K-Sra ponders the human need for revenge, we learn from Civil War Commander and the 18th American President, Ulysses S. Grant who gives us insightful wisdom in response.

Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves.

In irony, these words come from a man whose Presidential term is now viewed historically as marginally corrupt. Yet, his personal reputation is still regarded as being of high moral personal integrity. It begs question, or rather this simple retort,

It is not words which credence integrity, but action.

April 26th marks the Birthday of Roman Emperor and Stoic Philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius penned a series of writings now called Meditations.

To refrain from imitation is the best revenge.

Created uniquely, why do we revert to imitation.

Today we learn from the words of Radio and Journalism Icon Edward R. Murrow.

Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts.

How often do we use 'difficulty' to explain our hesitations and failure to act.