Youth enters the world with very happy prejudices in her own favor. She imagines herself not only certain of accomplishing every adventure, but of obtaining those rewards which the accomplishment may deserve. She is not easily persuaded to believe that the force of merit can be resisted by obstinacy and avarice, or its luster darkened by envy and malignity.
Interpretation
Youth often has an optimistic view of life, believing that success will naturally follow their efforts, unaware of the obstacles posed by negativity.
This quote by Samuel Johnson highlights the idealism and optimism of youth, suggesting that young individuals tend to approach life with a sense of certainty and entitlement to success. They perceive their adventures as assured and believe that their merits will be recognized, often overlooking the harsh realities of life, such as envy, greed, and the resistance of others. This naiveté can lead to valuable experiences, but it may also set them up for disappointment when faced with the less virtuous aspects of human nature.
In practice
During a graduation speech to inspire students about their future endeavors.
To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are distant, and which is animated only by faith and hope, will glide by degrees out of the mind unless it be invigorated and reimpressed by external ordinances, by stated calls to worship, and the salutary influence of example.
He that reads and grows no wiser seldom suspects his own deficiency, but complains of hard words and obscure sentences, and asks why books are written which cannot be understood.
To let friendship die away by negligence and silence is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw away one of the greatest comforts of the weary pilgrimage.
Fly-fishing may be a very pleasant amusement; but angling or float fishing I can only compare to a stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other.
When any anxiety or gloom of the mind takes hold of you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaining; but exert yourselves to hide it, and by endeavoring to hide it you drive it away.
A fishing rod is a stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.
I have an extraordinary attention span. I manage to juggle two or three different ideas at the same time, and that's probably - if I have a gift, that's probably the best gift that's given me.
By all means sometimes be alone; salute thyself; see what thy soul doth wear; dare to look in thy chest; and tumble up and down what thou findest there.
Sober up, and you see and hear everything you'd been able to avoid hearing before.
Whatever is your present experience, you can recognize the spaciousness that allows it to be. You are this spaciousness, this awareness, this love. Deeper love and more spacious awareness is the best lesson you can get from any experience.
Logical activity is not the whole of intelligence. One can be intelligent without being particularly logical.
One should practice much sense, not much learning.
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