William Arthur Ward Love Quotes and Inspirational Maxims
2. Love is more than a noun – it is a verb; it is more than a feeling – it is caring, sharing, helping, sacrificing.
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Excerpt from Wikipedia: William Arthur Ward (1921 – 1994), author of Fountains of Faith is one of America’s most quoted writers of inspirational maxims.
More than 100 articles, poems and meditations written by Ward have been published in such magazines as Reader’s Digest, This Week, The Upper Room, Together, The Christian Advocate, The Adult Student, The Adult Teacher, The Christian Home, The Phi Delta Kappan, Science of Mind, The Methodist Layman, Sunshine, and Ideals.
His column Pertinent Proverbs has been featured in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and in numerous service club publications throughout the United States and abroad. He is one of the most frequently quoted writers in the pages of Quote, the international weekly digest for public speakers.
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Inspirational Maxims by William Arthur Ward
1. The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment.
2. Blessed is he who has learned to admire but not envy, to follow but not imitate, to praise but not flatter, and to lead but not manipulate.
3. Friendship flourishes at the fountain of forgiveness.
4. Adversity cause some men to break; others to break records.
5. A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.
6. Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.
7. Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation.
8. Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.
9. When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.
10. Teaching is more than imparting knowledge, it is inspiring change. Learning is more than absorbing facts, it is acquiring understanding.
11. Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination.
12. A friend is one with whom you are comfortable, to whom you are loyal, through whom you are blessed, and for whom you are grateful.
13. It is wise to direct your anger towards problems — not people; to focus your energies on answers — not excuses.
14. Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hate. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.
15. Faith sees a beautiful blossom in a bulb, a lovely garden in a seed, and a giant oak in an acorn.
16. Lose yourself in generous service and every day can be a most unusual day, a triumphant day, an abundantly rewarding day!
17. To bear defeat with dignity, to accept criticism with poise, to receive honors with humility — these are marks of maturity and graciousness.
18. Will someone else life be brighter tomorrow because of what you have done today?
19. God gave you a gift of 86 400 seconds today. Have you used one to say thank you.
20. Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.
21. The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.
22. Every person has the power to make others happy.
Some do it simply by entering a room
others by leaving the room.
Some individuals leave trails of gloom;
others, trails of joy.
Some leave trails of hate and bitterness;
others, trails of love and harmony.
Some leave trails of cynicism and pessimism;
others trails of faith and optimism.
Some leave trails of criticism and resignation;
others trails of gratitude and hope.
What kind of trails do you leave?
23. The adventure of life is to learn. The purpose of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The opportunity of like is to serve. The secret of life is to dare. The spice of life is to befriend. The beauty of life is to give.
24. Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
25. To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To hope is to risk pain.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
26. Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.
27. A life lived without forgiveness is a prison.
28. Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.
29. We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them.
30. Today is a most unusual day, because we have never lived it before; we will never live it again; it is the only day we have.
31. Before you speak, listen.
Before you write, think.
Before you spend, earn.
Before you invest, investigate.
Before you criticize, wait.
Before you pray, forgive.
Before you quit, try.
Before you retire, save.
Before you die, give.
32. If you can imagine it, you can achieve it, if you can dream it, you can become it.
33. A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.
34. A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.
35. The optimist lives on the peninsula of infinite possibilities; the pessimist is stranded on the island of perpetual indecision.
36. Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.
37. We must be silent before we can listen. We must listen before we can learn. We must learn before we can prepare. We must prepare before we can serve. We must serve before we can lead.
38. Optimists enrich the present, enhance the future,challenge the improbable and attain the impossible.
39. Happiness is an inside job.