Wednesday Words

9 10, 2019

Quote on Human Potential – Purkey

By |2019-10-09T07:26:27-05:00October 9th, 2019|Wednesday Quote, Wednesday Words, Weekly Quote|0 Comments

About William Purkey

I ran across this quote in a The Passive Voice blog. Passive Guy always gives me food for thought with his blog posts where he shares blog site quotes along with a spattering of poetry.

In this blog he introduced me to William Purkey, author of this meme. Purkey was a public school teacher then Professor Emeritus of Counselor Education at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro who co-founded The International Alliance for Invitational Education to help educators foster human potential in educational settings. He authored a book titled Teaching Class Clowns. I wish I’d had that resource during my teaching years.

About the quote

A different version of Purkey’s quote hangs off the lamp on my computer desk, a gift from a dear friend. Both versions carry the same meaning.

Work like you don’t need the money.

Dance like no one is watching.

Love like you have never been hurt.

I’m sure there are other versions that encourage us to live in the moment and that’s a good thing. Both quotes make me smile. How about you? Did you smile when you read Purkey’s quote?

25 09, 2019

What is Fall?

By |2020-10-18T15:20:12-05:00September 25th, 2019|Wednesday Quote, Wednesday Words, Weekly Quote|3 Comments

About the graphic

This suspended leaf with green in the background is a perfect depiction of fall for those of us who live along the Gulf Coast. No beautiful mountains of color here. Just the occasional leaf floating to earth.

About the quote

The quote is from Matt Lanza’s weather blog, Space City Weather. The full quote reads: “Autumn is really just a state of mind. In Houston it has to be because you certainly would never know it was just about autumn by stepping outside.”

And, indeed, we are having a very hot September. Our temperatures are in the 95+ range with heat indexes well over 100! To have a feel of fall at my house, I’m hauling fall decorations out and using fake fall foliage accents.

18 09, 2019

Rivers and Change – Heraclitus

By |2022-09-01T19:34:37-05:00September 18th, 2019|Wednesday Quote, Wednesday Words, Wednesday Words of Wisdom|3 Comments

You can never step in the same river twice. - Heraclitus

About the graphic

The quote graphic comes from Azquotes.com It’s a fabulous site, easily searchable, if you need a quote.

About the quote

I stumbled upon this quote by Heraclitus in a daily devotional. Its deep meaning struck a chord with me. I’m not the only one. If you do a web search of the quote you will find pages and pages of blogs and essays on the meaning of Heraclitus’ words.

Philosophy was the first course I took when I went back to finish my college degree. Ever since I’m been fascinated by Greek philosophers like Heraclitus whose words are sometimes as timeless as the Bible. Want to read more about Heraclitus, check out this essay by Eric Gerlach

This quote is one with timeless meaning. Most people consider only the flowing river. The current moves and truly you can’t step in the exact spot twice, but the reality is we change too as time and experience flow over us.

We may think our lives remain the same, yet, like the river in Heraclitus’ quote, human life is continually changing. Every day we encounter new people who influence us and change our lives. We read books, take courses, and travel to new places.

Our world is in a state of flux changing by the very fact we’re alive.

To survive and succeed, we have to embrace change and flow like a river only with a new perspective.

Can you see your life flowing like a river with change?

11 09, 2019

Trigger Dates, Anniversaries, and Memories – Virgil

By |2019-09-01T11:53:09-05:00September 11th, 2019|Wednesday Words, Wednesday Words of Wisdom, Weekly Quote|1 Comment

Years after things happen, whether we were part of the event or not, we recall and react on the anniversary. Even hearing those dates or seeing those dates can trigger memories.

  • December 7, 1941               Pearl Harbor
  • November 25, 1963            Kennedy Assassination

And, of course, September 11 2001         Attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon

Today is the eighteenth anniversary of that event.

I sat at home drinking coffee in our sun room with news on TV. I stared in horror as the second plane hit towers, watching the first building burn. I didn’t turn off TV for days filled with concern that my Army Reserve husband would have to go fight whatever evil had breached our borders.

I’m sure today will stir memories for those of us who lived through the event and the days following. Others will only imagine our memories through pictures like this.

No matter what date or anniversary triggers memories for you. Let’s remember Virgil’s quote used at Ground Zero.

4 09, 2019

Work and Rainbows – Pagels

By |2019-09-01T11:06:36-05:00September 4th, 2019|Wednesday Quote, Wednesday Words, Wednesday Words of Wisdom|0 Comments

About the graphic

The picture is one I took when we lived in Colorado. The mountains and weather frequently combine to offer beautiful rainbows, both full and double. It was a lovely sight.

About the quote

Douglas Pagels is an author and this quote comes from his book, These Are the Gifts I’d Like to Give to You: A Sourcebook of Joy and Encouragement. You can read about him and his books here. I thought his words tied in nicely with Monday’s Labor Day holiday.

Work is good, but play is  important, too. We should take a day off, even when it isn’t Labor Day, and pick a color of the rainbow to  SLIDE down!

28 08, 2019

Being an Opti-Mystic – Edie Weinstein

By |2019-08-19T15:06:56-05:00August 28th, 2019|Wednesday Quote, Wednesday Words, Wednesday Words of Wisdom, Weekly Quote|0 Comments

About the graphic

Years ago this meme floated around in email then on other social media. I loved the elephant with the bird on his back cruising through the air. I ran across it the other day and had to share.

About the quote

The quote resonated with me as much as the graphic. I found this on Edie Weinstein‘s website: “Edie discovered that the life path we traverse calls on us to become willing to be light-hearted and childlike, not taking ourselves too seriously.” Doesn’t that sound like a great life?

Think I’ll try to be more opti-mystic and focus on possibilities.

21 08, 2019

Quote on Change

By |2019-08-19T10:03:55-05:00August 21st, 2019|Wednesday Quote, Wednesday Words, Wednesday Words of Wisdom|0 Comments

About the graphic

I took this photo in 2015 of one of the many church yards we saw on our trip to Ireland. Unfortunately, I was too busy enjoying myself and didn’t make good notes on specific locations so I don’t know exactly where it is.

About the quote

The end of August brings changes. Changes in the weather are anxiously awaited. Other changes not so much. I prefer status quo. This quote makes change, which is actually inevitable anyway, more palatable to me.

3 07, 2019

Happy 243rd Birthday, America!

By |2019-07-02T09:30:04-05:00July 3rd, 2019|Holidays, Wednesday Words|1 Comment

About the graphic:

This is one of my favorite family photos of my two grandsons, John (with the flag) and Michael (leading the way). It also happens to be one of my very talented photographer daughter’s bestselling photos.

I think that’s because it represents the freedom born with our great country on the 4th of July. Like the two young boys running freely down the park path, this country’s constitution grants to each and every one freedom not experienced anywhere else in the world. If you live in America, you can choose which paths you want to run or walk.


Be safe and enjoy your celebrations tomorrow, and as you celebrate, don’t forget to say a thanks for the brave men and women in uniform who are serving all of us here and on foreign soil so that we can continue to make choices.

Happy 243rd Birthday, America!

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