Writer’s Rant
Dec. 31, 2024
“Pardon Me…”
To all my faithful readers and followers, I apologize for my absence, even if you haven’t missed me. But I am back and hope to be inspired to write again with the coming of a new year. I won’t however be making a new year’s resolution, other than to remember what year it is and date everything correctly.
When I was in high school, many many many (too many!) years ago, we had a message board on the wall by the entrance into the cafeteria. It was there for all to see as we waited in line with the hard green plastic trays on which they would place our gourmet delights (like pizza burgers and baked spaghetti).
The message board was not a chalk board or an erasable white board. It was made of a black, semi porous material that you could push little white letters into, and each week I posted a new quotation for the students to be inspired by. I don’t recall if I was the only one given this honor; there very well may have been others. But I do recall having to research quotations short enough to post and we didn’t gave google back then so it took some effort.
While I can no longer post those words of inspiration on that board, today I am blessed to be able to post anything I want and to reach many more people than I could have imagined back then.
So, I have decided to post a few New Year’s related quotations and included two of my own quotes, as this may be my only chance to have my name alongside the famous and perhaps not so well-known.
“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” (Helen Keller)
“Come gentlemen. I hope we shall drink down all unkindness.” (William Shakespeare)
“When it’s cloudy in the pulpit, it’s foggy in the pew.” (Cavett Robert)
“Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed.” (Cavett Robert)
New Year’s Resolution: “To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.” (James Agate)
“Sometimes too much to drink is barely enough.” (Mark Twain)
“I never worry about being driven to drink; I just worry about being driven home.” (WC Fields)
And I have saved the best for last! These two quotations are from the lesser known author Clifford James:
“Forgiveness comes in small packages and it doesn’t cost you anything.”
“It’s not too late to ask for a (presidential) pardon; there’s plenty available for all, regardless of your sin.”
Happy 2025! Let’s hope we can all remember what year it is.
follow me @clifford s james – author