There are men and women who make the world better just by being the kind of people they are. They have the gift of kindness or courage or loyalty or integrity. It really matters very little whether they are behind the wheel of a truck or running a business or bringing up a family. The teach the truth by living it.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the impact of individuals who embody virtues like kindness and integrity, regardless of their life roles.
James A. Garfield highlights the importance of character and virtue in making the world a better place. He suggests that people who demonstrate qualities such as kindness, courage, loyalty, and integrity teach valuable lessons through their actions and the way they live their lives, regardless of their profession or situation. Their influence is profound, as they exemplify the truth of these virtues in everyday life.
In practice
In a speech about community service, one might say, 'We should strive to be like those who make the world better just by being themselves.'
Statistical science is indispensable to modern statesmanship. In legislation as in physical science it is beginning to be understood that we can control terrestrial forces only by obeying their laws. The legislator must formulate in his statutes not only the national will, but also those great laws of social life revealed by statistics.
I am trying to do two things: dare to be a radical and not a fool, which is a matter of no small difficulty.
Justice and goodwill will outlast passion.
Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption.
If the power to do hard work is not a skill, it's the best possible substitute for it.
Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.
But knowing what I don’t want to do doesn’t help me figure out what I do want to do. I could do just about anything if somebody made me. But I don’t have an image of the one thing I really want to do. That’s my problem now. I can’t find the image.
When a person doesn't have gratitude, something is missing in his or her humanity. A person can almost be defined by his or her attitude toward gratitude.
Those who are quite satisfied sit still and do nothing; those who are not quite satisfied are the sole benefactors of the world.
Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it.
Truly novel inventions emerge only in one's youth. Later one becomes ever more experienced, famous-and foolish.
In dealing with a man who thinks you are a fool, it is good sometimes to remind him that you know what he knows but have chosen to appear foolish for the sake of peace.
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