Quotable Quotes: Robert W. Service
by Miki Saxon
I never heard of Robert W. Service until I came across something he said and looked him up.
The quote that caught my interest was this, “It isn’t the mountain ahead that wears you out; it’s the grain of sand in your shoe.” You have to admit that along with the obvious accuracy of the statement there is a good deal of wisdom there also.
I certainly didn’t connect Service with his main claim to fame, but if you are old enough you, too, have probably heard this line from his most famous poem, “Pitched on his head, and pumped full of lead, was Dangerous Dan McGrew, While the man from the creeks lay clutched to the breast of the lady that’s known as Lou.” For those of you unfamiliar it’s called The Shooting of Dan McGrew and you can read it here.
Service believed in the value of shutting up or, to use his more polite wording, “Be sure your wisest words are those you do not say.”
Lastly, a bit of wisdom that is well worth adding to your life guidance principles, “A promise made is a debt unpaid.”
See you all tomorrow; have a wonderful day.
Image credit: Wikipedia
