Terry has tagged me to do this meme. Quoth Terry, “The challenge is to look through random quotes and pick 5 from this list with which with you identify and explain why.”

Never give advice unless asked.
German Proverb

Why do I identify with this one? Maybe it's my overly cautious personality, but I've learned it's not just advice you have to watch for. Everything you say has the potential to influence others, so be careful what you say. Only say what you believe to be the truth, don't repeat rumors, and realize that others are listening. On the other hand, sometimes it just doesn't matter what you say or how you say it. There are people in this world who are just looking for a reason to hear what they want.

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 – 1962)

This one's easy. It says so much about how I want to live life, taking the challenges, getting through them, and going on to the next thing. Doesn't make it easy, but it's surprising what you can endure when you have to.

There's only one way to have a happy marriage and as soon as I learn what it is I'll get married again. Clint Eastwood (1930 – )

Doesn't matter how long you've been married, it's still a work in progress. Marriage can be fabulous, but it isn't easy and it isn't for people with short attention spans. See Eleanor Roosevelt above. 🙂 Those you love the most often drive you the craziest. Are you surprised when you hear that another Hollywood marriage has broken up? I never am.

Sane and intelligent human beings are like all other human beings, and carefully and cautiously and diligently conceal their private real opinions from the world and give out fictitious ones in their stead for general consumption. Mark Twain (1835 – 1910), Mark Twain In Eruption

How often do we avoid topics that we know people have strong opinions about when we also know their opinions differ from ours? In fact, this quote goes along with my own opinion that you never really know anyone, maybe not even yourself. If you aren't sure about yourself, how can you ever know someone else? I think we all present one face to the world and another to ourselves.

Love is an exploding cigar we willingly smoke.
Lynda Barry

Ha, see Clint Eastwood above. Wouldn't it be easier sometimes if we could just exist in our own little vacuum? But, love comes with risks, so opening yourself up to it means the cigar might explode when you least expect it. On the other hand, it might not. 🙂 Love is volatile and crazy and wonderful all at once.