I really enjoy quotes, so let’s go on a journey around the world to find some wise words to inspire us today. Of course they are all somehow related to traveling – this is a travel blog, after all.
Wise Words From Finland
Tove Jansson is perhaps one of the most famous Finnish writers – her Moomin characters are loved all around the world. One of the characters, Snufkin, is one of my heroes. Being a philosophical nomad, he always leaves for the winter. And he has a lot of great thoughts that make the reader think. Although the books about the Moomins are often considered to be targeted at children, they do suit adults as well.
“The voice of the waves was now mixed with strange sounds; laughter, running feet and the clanging of great bells far out to sea. Snufkin lay still and listened. dreaming and remembering his trip round world. Soon I must set out again, he thought. But not yet.”
Wise Words From China
I remember when I was studying in Poland and a friend reproached me for my attitude on how to learn a foreign language. My opinion was that it’s fully possible to learn a language by knowing the grammar first and then starting to speak. This friend of mine liked to compare the situation to swimming: nobody learns to swim from a book. What wise words indeed! This Chinese quote reminds me of this: in order to learn, one must do. Reading or hearing about it is not enough. It’s the same with traveling, somebody else’s experience will never be yours. They might inspire you, and teach you. But you will never properly learn without discovering the world on your own.
Wise Words In Latin
We are all familiar with the wise words coming from Roman intellectuals. ”When the winds fail to serve, take to the oars” is a good piece of advice, in my opinion. Actually I’m not sure whether it should be adhibere or adhibe – both forms seem to exist and my Latin sucks.
Anyhow, rowing and the wind both relate to movement and travel.
I really enjoyed these quotes and you did a good job in chosen them, reading this post made me want to travel and try to see as much as possible. I didn’t know about Tove Jansson but it seems a good read, I’ll go search some of the books 😀