"No man or woman of the humblest sort can really be strong, gentle and good, without the world being better for it, without somebody being helped and comforted by the very existence of that goodness." Quote by Alan Alda

If I had to pick single sentences to sum up my personal philosophies of life, this one by Alan Alda would be at the top of my list. In my life I feel like kindness and expressing goodwill towards others is the most important thing I can do in life. I will never change the world. I remember as a youngster thinking I'd grow up and do great things. That I'd leave a lasting impact that would exist long after I was dead. As an adult I've accepted I'm just a tiny little person on a planet with billions of people and a world with forces far beyond my reach.

If I can succeed in anything, it is in changing single moments in my interactions with others to make them smile or happy. To express even the tiniest bit of kindness to a person can make that one moment happy and worthwhile. This quote from Alan Alda is my favorite all time quote and a wonderful philosophy to living life.

Maybe a simple bunny in my imagination can bring a moment of happiness to someone?

Okay...So Where Am I Going With This Post?

I've been writing my very first paper for my philosophy class so you're getting a lesson in what I've been reading about. Don't worry...education can be fun!

Our textbook started off discussing what is philosophy? According to the readings I'm doing the answer depends on the use of the word and the individual person. Some may see philosophy as a field that answers all the questions we may ponder about in life. Some may define philosophy as common ideas people share about a topic. Another view is that philosophy is a search for common ideas and themes that people use to explain the world and guide us through our lives and we can amass them into a body of knowledge.

The texts examples of personal philosophies were quite dull. "Live and let live" and "do unto others before they do unto you" were the examples given. They are good rules to live by but not all that original. This lead me to think about myself and what my own personal rules I live my life by. I could describe them to you but I tend to be long winded. Then I asked myself, if I could narrow my personal philosophies into single sentences, what would they be?

What Are Single Sentences That Sum Up Your Personal Philosophy?

Ms. Sally Brown Has Quite A Few To Help You Come Up With Ideas.

That's My New Philosophy!

"When I look into the eyes of an animal I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul." Quote by A.D. Williams

There are many single quotes I can name that would sum up my own personal beliefs about the world around me. Animals are very important in my life. I treat my pets as I would humans. When I see my cats I see tiny little souls who exist and make my life a better place. And I in return have made their short lives as happy as I can.

"I hope you're never responsible for ending the lives of people, poisoning their water, or destroying nature....I would have failed as a parent if you did that." - My husband

This quote was said my husband Hive account@magic-sasquatch to our 5 month old daughter after he watched a video on coal mining and how mountain top removal is destroying peoples' lives. In a way it sums up our philosophy as parents. We hope that our daughter grows up to be a good person. It is our goal to educate her in a way that will guide her on a noble path. We both hope she won't become blinded by the evil practices of capitalism and choose a profession that will destroy the world and hurt innocent people through acts of pollution, immoral rules/regulations, and more.

I can't imagine that sweet face growing up to participate in mountaintop removal.

I could keep going but I want to hear other peoples' single sentence philosophies!

We all have sayings or ideas that guide us in our lives. We all have rules that we follow as we exist and interact with others. Sometimes people share philosophies and sometimes they differ. Culture, time period, current events, religion, major life events, and more influence our ideas about life. Our philosophies change over time and mirror our lives as things change. The philosophies I have now differ from the ones I had when I was younger.

• What rules do you live by that you could teach your children?
• What is the most important rule in your life that you live by?
• Do you have a personal philosophy that reflects what is important in your life? Pets, morals, children, etc.?

A philosophy is something we use to govern our behavior and can be just about anything. As Ms Sally Brown says..."That's a good philosophy" and it's a good one if it helps you make sense of life to lead a happy and fulfilling life!

Photo credit: all photos are mine.

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