On Beauty

“Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.”

– Confucius

Compassion

A wretched soul, bruised with adversity,
We bid be quiet when we hear it cry;
But were we burdened with like weight of pain,
As much or more we should ourselves complain.

– William Shakespeare

Panacea [Noun.]

A remedy for all ills or diseases; a cure-all; a universal medicine.

In Greek mythology, Panacea was a goddess of healing. She was the daughter of Asclepius and Epione. Panacea and her five sisters each performed a facet of Apollo’s art: Panacea was the goddess of cures, Iaso was the goddess of recuperation, Hygieia was the goddess of disease prevention, Aceso was the goddess of recovery, and Aglaea was the goddess of natural beauty.

Panacea was said to have a poultice or potion with which she healed the sick. This brought about the concept of the panacea in medicine, a substance meant to cure all diseases. The term is also used figuratively as something intended to completely solve a large, multi-faceted problem.

A river in Thrace – also known as the historical region Moesia – was named after the goddess, and is still known as the river Panega – known in Greece as the Panakeia.

A Second Self

“A friend is one before whom I may think aloud.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

On Noah’s Arc

“The main point is, did God tell him to make a boat, or did Noah just use his captain common sense? ‘Cause there are a number of us, if we were somewhere where it was raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining, and we had a big pile of wood, some of us might put two and two together and go, “I’m ‘gonna make a bloody boat!”

Others might go, “I’m ‘gonna make a hairdresser’s”, “I’m ‘gonna build a monkey emporium.”, “I’m ‘gonna build a big pair of wooden shoes, that would fit a giant.” …

But he made a boat. Oh, he was quite sensible! And what did he put on the boat? His family. What else? Animals. Which animals? Any he could find. Did he put two of every animal in the world on the boat? No! How can I be so sure? Try it!”

– Eddie Izzard

Don’t Teach

“I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.”

– Albert Einstein

Crude Winter

Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Thou art not so unkind,
As man’s ingratitude.

– William Shakespeare

The World’s Age

“So I’ve learnt that the world is 4500 million years old. If you’re very religious, then it’s not 4500 million years old, it’s 6000 years old. One of these is not correct.”

– Eddie Izzard