LEARNING FROM OTHERS

 

          LEARNING FROM OTHERS

            Great men express the gist of their practical experience or deep thinking in short sayings which others may read to enrich their knowledge, enhance their wisdom, and amplify their vision about life.

            Here are several examples of such expressions.

1.     Not failure, but low aim, is crime.---J. R. Lowell, American poet 1819-91

2.     It is worse to apprehend than to suffer.----Bruyere, Jean de la, French essayist (1645-96).

3.     He best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.----Francis Bacon, English essayist and philosopher (1561-1626).

4.     Brevity is the soul of wit.----William Shakespeare , English poet-playwright (1564-1616).

5.     The one prudence of life is concentration.—Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist and poet (1803-1882).

6.      Life often presents us with a choice of evils rather than of good.---Colton Caleb C, English clergy (1780-1832).

7.     A man of integrity will never listen to any reason against conscience. ---Henry Home, Scottish judge (1696-1782).  

8.     Without consistency there is no moral strength.----John Jason Owen, American clergy (1803-69).

9.     The over curious are not over wise.----Philip Massinger, English poet-dramatist (1583-1640)

10.                        Delicacy is to the mind what fragrance is to the fruit. A. Poincilot, French author and philosopher (---1850).

11.                         The early morning has gold in its mouth.----Benjamin Franklin, American author and statesman (1706-90).

12.                         One should eat to live, not live to eat.---Benjamin Franklin.

13.                         The education of the human mind commences in the cradle.----T. Cogan, English physician (1736-1818)

14.                         The wisest man may always learn something from the humblest peasant.----J. P. Senn, Swiss writer (1792-1870).

15.                         No crime is so great to envy as daring to excel.----Winston Churchill, Statesman and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1874-1965).

16.                           Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. ----Confucius, Chinese philosopher (Died 479 BC).

17.                         Men of cold passions have quick eyes.----Hawthorne, American author (1804-64).   

18.                          Even the best things are not equal to their fame.---Henry David  Thoreau , American naturalist and essayist (1817-62).

19.                         Man is a poetical enemy and delights in fiction.---William Hazlitt, English essayist (1778-1830).

20.                         The future is always a fairy land to the young.----English journalist George Augustus Sala (1828-95).

21.                         A mask of gold hides all deformities.-------Thomas Dekker, English dramatist  (1572-1632).  

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G. R. Kanwal

2^nd September 2026

 

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

 

          HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

            Human development focuses on putting people first rather than just measuring a country’s wealth. It relies on cardinal virtues which are:

            A long and healthy life with moral values like prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, self-control, abstention from criminal and vulgar acts, honesty, contentment , and righteous living.

            Among the Greek philosopher Plato’s cardinal virtues wisdom and rationality are also significant. Another Greek philosopher Aristotle includes in his group of virtues justice and the golden mean of the Indian Lord Buddha.

            Capitalism lays emphasis on economic system where private individuals or businesses own the means of production and run for profit.

            In current times developed countries boast of material advancement and military power with most destructive weapons.    

            All developed countries are now like business houses. They buy and sell, import and export their goods and chattels.

            Ethical values are declining  and that is an unfortunate aspect of latest developmental policies.

            Now greed rather than contentment is on the rise.

            Look at the following short poem by the American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882). The title of the poem is: A NATION’S SRENGTH.

            Not gold, but only men can make

            A people great and strong ---

            Men who, for truth and honour’s sake

            Stand fast and suffer long.

            Brave men who work while others sleep,

            Who dare while others fly,

            They build a nation’s pillars deep,

            And lift them to the sky.

 

To conclude, the following words of Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948):

Service of humanity and self-realization or knowledge of God are synonymous terms.     

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G.R. Kanwal

1^st September 2026