As coincidence would have it, just as I finished another personal lap around the sun I also finished filling a notebook with thoughts about this, that, and the other – mostly my own musings, but some quotes from other people as well.
This particular notebook – journal is more accurate, I suppose – is roughly the size of a pocket paperback and bound in leather of deep-sea blue hue with a hundred or so pages and came from the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West.
Since I was in need of a column for today, and since serendipity smiled, here are some Woody-isms from its pages . . .
If someone asks if your glass is half-full or half-empty, a good response is: “You want half of the half?”
A small kindness from a friend is nice, but sometimes it is even more wonderful and heartwarming when a kindness comes from a stranger.
Note to self: Try to be a kind stranger more often.
I believe this is a proven scientific fact beyond challenge: Leftovers taste best cold out of the refrigerator, straight from the container, while leaning over the kitchen sink.
An eagle builds its nest stick by stick by stick, flight by flight by flight – building a dream into reality requires the persistence and patience of an eagle.
Leftovers for breakfast are the best of all.
Today is a steppingstone to tomorrow; you cannot skip any stones on your path to building your own eagle’s nest.
Sometimes one of the nicest favors you can do for someone is to ask a favor of them.
Spreading rumors is bad, but listening to Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” remains great.
I do not fully believe in small acts of kindness because I don’t fully believe any act of kindness is small.
It is a lot harder to climb a mountain with heavy regrets in your backpack.
A better Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto your children – or, better yet, your grandchildren.
Sometimes, oftentimes in truth, my favorite adults resemble are kids who have simply grown tall and old.
When it comes to cold food, pizza is even better than ice cream.
One’s character can be a puddle, pond, lake, or sea – strive to be deep.
It is better to express condolences awkwardly than to say nothing at all – if it comes from the heart, even clumsily, it will reach the heart.
Courage is making your first guess in Wordle a one-vowel word.
You cannot achieve mountaintop goals with downhill effort.
At a holiday gathering, or any gathering for that matter, the dinner table always(!) has room for one more.
In the heart there is also always(!) room for one more.
Sometimes the ocean churns or has a dangerous riptide, but always(!) the ocean sings again with pleasure – so keep swimming through hard times.
You don’t raise up others by raising your voice – other than cheering(!) on the side of the marathon road or in the bleachers.
Love and dreams will carry you far in life – especially love.
A good daily goal: Learn something worth sharing – and then do so.
Grace is to forgive someone not just for what they have done, but also for what they have failed to do.
I have a dear friend who is a terrific writer, yet his heart and grace exceed his art and that is no small thing – I want to be more like him.
Hemingway, coming full circle, said “courage is grace under pressure” but courage is also doing a crossword puzzle in ink rather than with a pencil.
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Essay copyrights Woody Woodburn
Woody’s new novel “The Butterfly Tree” is now available in paperback and eBook at Amazon (click here), other online bookstores, and is orderable at all bookshops.
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Woody writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @woodywoodburn.