WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, By Linda Hope Lee

     "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." We've all heard these words of wisdom (according to Wikipedia attributed to Joseph P. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, and Knute Rockne), aimed to reassure us in times of trouble.
     Other inspirational quotes you may be familiar with:
     "Tough times never last, but tough people do," by Robert Schuller.
     "When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on," by Franklin D. Roosevelt.
     "In the middle of a difficulty lies opportunity," by Albert Einstein.
     Here's one you may not have heard. This story comes from my friend, Celia, who volunteers in a nursing home.
     "One of my favorite residents to visit is Hank," Celia said. "He recently celebrated his 102nd birthday. He's a friendly guy, always in good spirits, and loves to talk.
     "On one visit, more to be conversational than anything else,  I asked him, 'So, Hank, are you having a good life?'
     "'Oh, yes,' he said with a big smile. Then he added, 'The first hundred years are the hardest.'
     "Despite his serious tone, I had to laugh. Really? The first hundred years?
     "When I got home I did some research, to see if maybe someone else had authored that bit of wisdom. Sure enough, the quote is credited to American playwright Wilson Mizner. But I think Hank should have some claim to it, having actually lived those first hundred years.
     "Since then," Celia continued, "whenever I've been stressed or upset, I say to myself, 'Remember, the first hundred years are the hardest,' and, by golly, I feel better!"
     Do you have a favorite inspirational quote that helps you through life's rough spots? If so, please share.

Comments

  1. As a writer, I love this quote: Waiting for perfect when good will do. I can spend a very depressingly long time looking at a paragraph I'm not happy with and not changing a thing. (move on, sister!) However, I don't know who said it.

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    1. Hi, Melinda. This is a good one, especially for writers. I'll keep it in mind!

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  2. My favorite has always been: "this too shall pass". It assures me that everything giving me stress will end and a new day will dawn. A man in the grocery store the other day told me "every day on the top side of the grass is a good day". I'm going to store that one in my memory file.

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    1. Hi, Roz, Your favorite is one of mine, too. I haven't hear the other one, but I'm going to add it to my list.

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  3. I like "The love of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you." And to quote my mother, who was a famous Mrs. Malaprops, "We'll burn that bridge when we get to it!" It took me until my twenties to realize she'd mixed a few beloved quotes together.

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    1. Hi, Muriel, I love your inspirational quote. And your mother sounds like she had quite a sense of humor. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. I really like Hank's. My favorite is the Milne one:
    “What day is it?"
    "It's today," squeaked Piglet.
    "My favorite day," said Pooh.”

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    1. Hi, Liz. Great reminder to focus on the present. Thanks for sharing.

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  5. Gosh, Melinda, I was wondering what to write, and then saw what you wrote :)

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  7. It is not debate able that author raise good points in this article. I would like to share it with my fellow at web designing pakistan so that she can read and learn from it. Nice writing

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  8. All these quotes are great and several are some of my favorites, only they got here first. :-)
    One that I cross stitched is "Success is that place in the road where preparation and opportunity meet. Few people recognize it because it comes disguised as hard work.

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  9. Linda, thank you for sharing these today! My favorite is the same as Roz's--this too shall pass. I also like a quote by Audrey Hepburn that goes something like...Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'm possible.

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  10. I'm laughing at Hank's comment...very cute...and I love Schuller's quote!

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  11. I'm with Rula...Hank's and Schuller's quotes are cute! My favorite quotes are "Good enough never is" and "Do or do not, there is no 'try.'" I keep them right above my desk, and swap out the frames now and then so they don't become of the woodwork... hehehe

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  12. I'm with Rula...Hank's and Schuller's quotes are cute! My favorite quotes are "Good enough never is" and "Do or do not, there is no 'try.'" I keep them right above my desk, and swap out the frames now and then so they don't become of the woodwork... hehehe

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  13. 'm laughing at Hank's comment...very cute...and I love Schuller's quote!
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