Life, with all it's sorrows, cares, perplexities and heart-breaks, is more interesting than bovine placidity, hence more desirable. The more interesting it is, the happier it is.
Interpretation
Life's challenges and struggles make it more worthwhile and engaging than a peaceful but uninspiring existence.
William Lyon Phelps suggests that the complexities and difficulties of life, despite their burdens, contribute to its richness and desirability. He argues that the essence of happiness lies in the depth of our experiences and challenges, as they provide a more intriguing and fulfilling life compared to a dull, uneventful existence.
In practice
During a motivational speech about resilience, one might say, 'As William Lyon Phelps wisely noted, life is more interesting with its challenges.'
Real happiness is not dependent on external things. The pond is fed from within. The kind of happiness that stays with you is the happiness that springs from inward thoughts and emotions. You must cultivate your mind if you wish to achieve enduring happiness.
I divide all readers into two classes: those who read to remember and those who read to forget.
The final test of a gentleman is his respect for those who can be of no possible service to him.
The belief that youth is the happiest time of life is founded on fallacy. The happiest person is the person who thinks the most interesting thoughts, and we grow happier as we grow older.
Whenever it is possible, a boy should choose some occupation which he should do even if he did not need the money.
You can be deprived of your money, your job and your home by someone else, but remember that no one can ever take away your honor.
Life is short. From here to that old car you know so well there is a stretch of twenty, twenty-five paces. It is a very short walk. Make those twenty-five steps. Now. Right now. Come just as you are. And we shall live happily ever after.
Life Lesson 3: You can't rush grief. It has its own timetable. All you can do is make sure there are lots of soft places around - beds, pillows, arms, laps.
... And the boy whose hair remained the color of lemons forever.
What a miracle life is and how alike are all souls when they send their roots down deep and meet and are one!
You live long enough, you lose enough people, you learn to appreciate the memories you have and stop begrudging the ones you never got to make.
Most of life is hell. It’s filed with failure and loss. People disappoint you. Dreams don’t work out. Hearts get broken. Innocent journalists die. And the best moments of life, when everything comes together, are few and fleeting. But you’ll never get to the next great moment if you don’t keep going. So that’s what I do. I keep going.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.