Memorable Sayings: Words to Live By

Growing up my mother was always filling our heads with things that her mother said. Grandma had a lot of good sayings worth not only paying attention to but remembering them as well. Grandma may have been set in her own ways and her view of what the world should be like, but she was also a lady - a southern lady - and a wise one at that. She taught family members what it meant to be raised in a proper manner and respect with her sayings. In today's society few people follow anything said by the older generations. In fact, very little from that period has survivied these days. In pushing so hard for progress we have forgotten how to act and behave. Grandma understood that and more.

One of Grandma's sayings was "When you're by yourself, then you know your're in good company." Truer words have never been said. When a child is playing by himself or an adult is left alone there is little chance of getting into trouble. In an age where peer pressure is worse than ever, being left alone is not necessarily a bad thing. When we were off playing or reading by ourselves my mother never worried about us or what we were doing becasue she knew there would be no trouble.

In recent years commedian Bill Cosby has been getting on the younger generation for how they dress. He refers to them as clowns that no one can or will take seriously. Grandma had some similar thoughts on the subject. According to Grandma it didn't matter how well you dressed up if you had a dirty mouth. She would say that you owe it to yourself to be clean. Dirt washes off, but filth goes clear down to the core.

She also said that no matter what you could at least sit down, shut up, and look descent. Dress and act like a clown and no one will take you seriously. If you dress right and act as good as you dress then you will be okay.

Grandma's wisdom proved that just because a saying didn't come from some famous person doesn't mean that it isn't worth remembering or repeating. Grandma seemed to have an expression or saying for every occasion. Many of these she heard from her mother and grandmother.

Perhaps the greatest saying of all is "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it," and that goes for those sayings that everybody's Grandmother - and sometimes Grandfather - often touted when we were all children. The respect and manners we learned from such expressions has gone by the wayside. As a result the younger generation and society has suffered from it.