Saturday 3 October 2009

Sunday Quotation




Men deal with life, as children with their play,
Who first misuse, then cast their toys away.

Hope

William Cowper
1731-1800

Photo Jeremy White



11 comments:

  1. hello friko - as a man i'll start with "ouch!!". but then reflecting i can see so much of what i know as an adult is that we are gifted as children with so much that is replaced or tucked away or misused (to paraphrase cowper). i encourage my own children to be childlike for as long as is possible - the hidden agenda? to hang onto the clarity of insight and relationship they have with the world on all levels and in all ways for as long as possible. have a lovely day. steven

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  2. Maybe it's truer to say that we're life's little toys and she plays with us.

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  3. Steven - I never thought that Cowper was speaking of 'man' only; but, of course, he was of his time. And isn't he saying that it is children who 'cast their toys away'?

    Nothing Profound -- thank you for visiting, but no, I don't agree with what you say.

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  4. I like that Friko and I am not going to elaborate except to say the pictures are so simple and symbolize a lot, possibly.

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  5. At the risk of offending your male readers I will make a 'tongue in cheek' observation that men never give up toys. They just trade the children toys for adult ones like convertibles, video games, etc.

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  6. It's so true, that idea about misusing something then 'casting it away' as though it were someone else's fault that it's all gone wrong! Very salutory advice for the start of the week ... Good one, Friko.

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  7. As careful children, my brother and I never mis-treated the few toys we had, so they never needed throwing away - rather wore out! Today's children, sadly, seem to belong to a throw away generation. This bodes ill for the future...

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  8. As my son plays endless hours with his toys, building stones and cars, again and again, I'd wish to be a child again.

    A wonderful new week for you.

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  9. Hi Friko~ Doesn't seem very "hope"ful, does it? An odd title. I love that photo of the old toys that were so beautifuly made.

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  10. Es ist nur allzu wahr, was W. Cowper da schrieb. Wunderbare Zusammenstellung. Ich habe zu dem Thema auch noch etwas gefunden:

    "Mancher genießt das Leben nur halb, so lange er es ganz hat, und genießt es erst ganz, wenn er's nur halb besitzt."
    Peter Rosegger

    herlichst, veredit

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  11. Lucy - thank you Lucy, yes, they do.

    Darlene - looking for trouble, are you?

    Fran Hill - thanks Fran, my idea exactly.

    Jinksy - Oops, a bit of 'in my day' here? but yes, i have complained about the 'kids of today' too.

    robert - enjoy him while he's small, it won't last and you don't want to miss any of it.

    Margaret Pangert - not, it doesn't. and yes, not a bit of nasty, bright plastic in sight.

    veredit - danke fuer den Besuch - und danke fuer das Rosegger Zitat. Recht hat er!

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