WIST Quotations

Kerr, Jean -- Essay (1955-08-01), “Greenwich, Anyone?” Vogue Magazine

Dave — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:02:10 +0000

Oftentimes, in the evening after they have finished spreading the fertilizer, the writer and his wife sit on the fence — with a wonderful sense of “togetherness” — and listen to the magic symphony of the crickets.
I can understand that. Around our house, we’re pretty busy, and of course we’re not the least bit integrated, but nevertheless my husband and I often sit together in the deepening twilight and listen to the sweet, gentle slosh-click, slosh-click of the dishwasher. He smiles and I smile. Oh, it’s a golden moment.

Jean Kerr (1922-2003) American author and playwright [b. Bridget Jean Collins]
Essay (1955-08-01), “Greenwich, Anyone?” Vogue Magazine
(Source)

Collected in Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1957).

Marcus Aurelius -- Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 4, ch. 35 (4.35) (AD 161-180) [tr. Collier (1701)]

Dave — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 18:30:06 +0000

He that does a Memorable Action, and those that Report it, are all but short-liv’d Things.

[Πᾶν ἐφήμερον, καὶ τὸ μνημονεῦον καὶ τὸ μνημονευόμενον.]

Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) Roman emperor (161-180), Stoic philosopher
Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 4, ch. 35 (4.35) (AD 161-180) [tr. Collier (1701)]
(Source)

(Source (Greek)). Alternate translations:

All things are transitory, and, as it were, but for a day; both those who remember; and the things, and persons remembered.
[tr. Hutcheson/Moor (1742)]

Everything is only for a day, both that which remembers and that which is remembered.
[tr. Long (1862)]

He that does a memorable action, and those that report it, are all but short-lived things.
[tr. Collier/Zimmern (1887)]

Everything is but for a day, remembrancer alike and the remembered.
[tr. Rendall (1898)]

All things are for a day, both what remembers and what is remembered.
[tr. Hutcheson/Chrystal (1902)]

Ephemeral all of them, the rememberer as well as the remembered!
[tr. Haines (Loeb) (1916)]

All is ephemeral, both what remembers and what is remembered.
[tr. Farquharson (1944)]

All of us are creatures of a day; the rememberer and the remembered alike.
[tr. Staniforth (1964)]

All is ephemeral, both that which remembers and that which is remembered.
[tr. Hard (1997 ed.)]

Everything transitory -- the knower and the known.
[tr. Hays (2003)]

All is ephemeral, both memory and the object of memory.
[tr. Hammond (2006)]

They are all short-lived, both those who remember and the remembered.
[tr. Needleman/Piazza (2008)]

All is ephemeral, both that which remembers and that which is remembered.
[tr. Hard (2011 ed.)]

Everything is transitory, both that which remembers and that which is remembered.
[tr. Gill (2013)]

Lindbergh, Anne Morrow -- Diary (1932-09-27), Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead (1973)

Dave — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 23:18:01 +0000

It isn’t for the moment you are struck that you need courage, but for the long uphill climb back to sanity and faith and security.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906-2001) American writer, pilot
Diary (1932-09-27), Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead (1973)
(Source)

Approximately six months after the kidnapping/murder of her son, Charles, Jr., and a month after the birth of her second son, Jon.

McLaughlin, Mignon -- The Second Neurotic’s Notebook, ch. 4 (1966)

Dave — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 15:06:14 +0000

The only kind of courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one moment to the next.

Mignon McLaughlin (1913-1983) American journalist and author
The Second Neurotic’s Notebook, ch. 4 (1966)
(Source)

Marcus Aurelius -- Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 3, ch. 10 (3.10) (AD 161-180) [tr. Staniforth (1964)]

Dave — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 16:30:46 +0000

Remember that man lives only in the present, in this fleeting instant: all the rest of his life is either past and gone, or not yet revealed.

[καὶ ἔτι συμμνημόνευε, ὅτι μόνον ζῇ ἕκαστος τὸ παρὸν τοῦτο, τὸ ἀκαριαῖον: τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ἢ βεβίωται ἢ ἐν ἀδήλῳ.]

Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) Roman emperor (161-180), Stoic philosopher
Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 3, ch. 10 (3.10) (AD 161-180) [tr. Staniforth (1964)]
(Source)

Referencing what he has previously said in 2.14.

(Source (Greek)). Alternate translations:

No man properly can be said to live more than that which is now present, which is but a moment of time. Whatsoever is besides either is already past, or uncertain.
[tr. Casaubon (1634)]

Remembering withal, that every Mans Life lies all within the Present; For the Past is spent, and done with, and the Future is uncertain: Now the Present is strictly examin'd, is but a point of Time. Well then!
[tr. Collier (1701)]

Remember also that each man lives only the present moment: The rest of time is either spent and gone, or is quite unknown.
[tr. Hutcheson/Moor (1742)]

Recollect, moreover, what I have formerly remarked, "that every one lives that moment only which is now present." For the rest of his life is either already past, or is wrapt in uncertainty.
[tr. Graves (1792)]

Bear in mind that every man lives only this present time, which is an indivisible point, and that all the rest of his life is either past or it is uncertain.
[tr. Long (1862)]

Remembering withal, that every man's life lies all within the present, which is but a point of time; for the past is spent, and the future is uncertain.
[tr. Collier/Zimmern (1887)]

And bear in mind withal that every man lives only in the present, this passing moment' all else is life outlived, or yet undisclosed.
[tr. Rendall (1898)]

Remember also that every man lives only this present moment, which is a fleeting instant: the rest of time is either spent or quite unknown.
[tr. Hutcheson/Chrystal (1902)]

Remember withal that it is only this present, a moment of time, that a man lives: all the rest either has been lived or may never be.
[tr. Haines (Loeb) (1916)]

Each of us lives only in the present, this brief moment; the rest is either a life that is past, or is in an uncertain future.
[tr. Farquharson (1944)]

Remember, furthermore, that each of us lives only in the present, this fleeting moment of time, and that the rest of one's days are either dead and gone or lie in an unknowable future.
[tr. Hard (1997 ed.)]

Each of us lives only now, this brief instant. The rest has been lived already, or is impossible to see.
[tr. Hays (2003)]

Remind yourself too that each of us lives only in the present moment, a mere fragment of time: the rest is life past or uncertain future.
[tr. Hammond (2006)]

Also remember that each person lives in this very moment, and that the rest either has already happened or else is entirely uncertain.
[tr. Needleman/Piazza (2008)]

Remember, furthermore, that each of us lives only in the present, this fleeting moment of time, and that the rest of one’s life has either already been lived or lies in an unknowable future.
[tr. Hard (2011 ed.)]

Keep in mind that each of us only lives int he present, this brief moment of time; the rest of our life has been lived already or lies in the uncertain future.
[tr. Gill (2013)]

Firbank, Ronald -- Vainglory (1915)

Dave — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 14:03:56 +0000

There was a pause — just long enough for an angel to pass, flying slowly.

Ronald Firbank (1886-1926) British novelist and playwright
Vainglory (1915)

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett -- “The Lady’s ‘Yes'”, st. 1 (1844)

Dave — Thu, 02 May 2013 13:27:10 +0000

‘Yes,’ I answered you last night;
‘No,’ this morning, sir, I say.
Colors seen by candle-light,
Will not look the same by day.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) English poet
“The Lady’s ‘Yes'”, st. 1 (1844)

Goethe, Johann von -- Sprüche in Prosa: Maximen und Reflexionen [Proverbs in Prose: Maxims and Reflections] (1833) [tr. Saunders (1893), “Life and Character,” sec. 7, #392]

Dave — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:56:26 +0000

What is called fashion is the tradition of the moment.

[Was man Mode heißt, ist augenblickliche Uberlieferung.]

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) German poet, statesman, scientist
Sprüche in Prosa: Maximen und Reflexionen [Proverbs in Prose: Maxims and Reflections] (1833) [tr. Saunders (1893), “Life and Character,” sec. 7, #392]
(Source)

(Source (German)). Alternate translations:

That which we call fashion is the tradition of the moment.
[tr. Rönnfeldt (1900)]

What we call fashion is momentary transmission.
[tr. Stopp (1995), "Posthumous," #986]