Category Archives: quotations

“Crime is Contagious”:

Posted on May 19, 2021 by smellincoffee

I am presently reading Enemies: A History of the FBI, and encountered this insightful comment by Associate Justice Louis Brandeis, in the Olmstead vs. US (1928) decision. “The greatest dangers to liberty lie in insidious encroachments by men of zeal, … Continue reading →

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Re-tooling tech: a reading

Posted on April 27, 2021 by smellincoffee

From The Tech-Wise Family: Technology is in its proper place when it helps us bond with the real people we have been given to love. It’s out of its proper place when we end up bonding with people at a … Continue reading →

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Life is Suffering

Posted on April 26, 2021 by smellincoffee

“God, there’s reasons to be resentful about your existence. Everyone you know is going to die — you, too, and there’s going to be a fair bit of pain along the way. Lots of it’s going to be unfair. No … Continue reading →

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Wisdom for Wednesday: Take charge of your mind

Posted on April 7, 2021 by smellincoffee

“Occupy your mind with good thoughts, or the enemy will fill them with bad ones.” – attributed to St. Thomas More, Chancellor of England. Unfortunately, I can’t find a primary source for this, hence ‘attributed’. “A gifted American psychologist has … Continue reading →

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Wisdom for your Wednesday: To fall but rise again

Posted on March 24, 2021 by smellincoffee

For Lent I”ve been reading How to Live: What the Rule of St. Benedict Teaches us About Happiness, Meaning, and Community. I’d like to share some quotations from it. “The spiritual life is this,” a monastic elder from the Egyptian … Continue reading →

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Wisdom Wednesday: There are no problems, only situations

Posted on March 10, 2021 by smellincoffee

I liberated this screenshot from a facebook group on the psychology of Stoicism and Buddhism. It’s been lingering in drafts for a few weeks because I recognized wisdom in the quote, even though it’s easy to dismiss it out of … Continue reading →

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Selections from Jesus, Son of Man

Posted on March 3, 2021 by smellincoffee

Earlier I posted comments for Kahlil Gibran’s moving Jesus, Son of Man, and now share some quotations from it. Then He looked at me, and the noontide of His eyes was upon me, and He said, “You have many lovers, … Continue reading →

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Wisdom Wednesday: Self Reliance

Posted on March 2, 2021 by smellincoffee

Liberated from facebook, mostly likely the “Psychology of Stoicism, Buddhism, Epicureanism, Etc” group page. Douglas is an especially good source for this kind of quote because of his background: he found help to teach himself to read, and he escaped … Continue reading →

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The death of Liberty

Posted on February 25, 2021 by smellincoffee

“Liberty never dies from direct attack. No man ever arises and says ‘Down with Liberty.’ Liberty has died in 14 countries in a single score of years from weakening its safeguards, from demoralization of the moral stamina of the people….If … Continue reading →

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“Love”

Posted on February 14, 2021 by smellincoffee

“Love is the only bow on Life’s dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot … Continue reading →

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