Idioms Teaching Valuable Lessons
30 Oct 2020My Dearest Mad-Readers,
Whether you are learning a foreign language or expressing yourself solely with your mother tongue, you all have come across these idiomatic expressions which we all use at times. Today, I wish to list some of them along with the enriching lessons they can teach us.
Curiosity killed the cat...
You often get warned about curiosity, especially as a kid. Do you even know the entire saying, however ? I bet you do not : Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. One must be curious in order to keep growing as a person, this is the lesson I get from this idiom. Being too curious may be dangerous, but being thirsty for knowledge ends up more powerful than death in this short story, since the cat came back to life.
If I can give you a piece of advice : know the difference between being nosy and curious. Don't meddle into others' business, but always question yourself and search answers to all your interrogations. I have been striving to apply this on a daily basis for many years, and I cannot complain.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Nothing good can come out of jealousy and comparing yourself to others. You are who you are, and you have what you have. The only way I know to be happy about it is to accept it. Everyone is talented in a different way and, there is something extremely funny (yet tragic) in this idiom. Indeed, if you are looking on the other side of the fence with envy, chances are your neighbor is doing exactly the same thing for their own reasons.
It is a blessing in disguise.
You most certainly all know this one, yet I doubt you use it half as often as you should. Disguised blessings are scattered throughout our days, sometimes so subtly it may be difficult to notice. One should, I believe, persevere in their efforts to notice them more often. They are there. They are hidden in all the terrible events occurring in your lives, even the worst of them. If you perceive their presence, they may bring a smile to your face, rekindle a long-awaited spark in your heart, appease your grief, chase off depression, heal your soul.
Every cloud has a silver lining : This one tends to remind me of a blessing in disguise, almost every time I come across it. You can also turn it around, by the way : every silver lining has a cloud. It is a tad less joyous, but life is as it is... It is a more poetic way of saying : there always is something positive within something negative.
Actions speak louder than words!
Since I have always been more comfortable with words, I wish this one was not true. It is, however, and one needs to accept it. It is much more effective to do something in the eyes of others instead of saying you will do it. Often, doing is also extremely liberating. Take the example of love. Have you ever written a romantic letter to a crush ? I know from experience how this beautiful gesture can be awkward. Yet, it is an action. If you do not try it out, you cannot know how the targeted person will react. Merely asking them out might sound like a better and simpler solution too...
Anyway, remember this especially if you ever offend someone (which is bound to happen sooner than later, right?) because an appropriate gesture will always be much more powerful than excuses.
Better late than never.
This one just reminded me of this is the intention which matters the most. It sounds connected to the above expression. At least to me. Would you agree ? Tell me in the comments !
Would you agree with this expression ?
I believe that most of the time, it is worth being patient. People always come through, even if it's later than you thought.
Avoid Beating around the bush.
We are all guilty of this one. Some things may be difficult to say, but one has to find a way to express them and preferably in a straightforward way. One should not be afraid of going straight to the point and frankly saying the truth as it is. If people love you, they will respect your honesty and love you even more for it. If they do not, then you only need find other people who will give you the love you deserve.
Biting off more than you can chew ?
Be progressive with your goals. Don't be afraid, or ashamed, of starting small. If you go too hard straight from the beginning, you are going to burn your wings and it is unlikely they will grow back any time soon. I have a concrete example for you (again) : when you begin studying a new language, don't do five hours a day. Fifteen minutes to an hour would be more than enough already. Otherwise you may become tired far too quickly and will not last the marathon which learning a language is.
Good things come to those who wait.
Patience is a virtue, I have not invented it. Fellow bloggers and content creators, this one is dedicated to you! Fame, or wealth, does not happen in a day. It is a long process which requires an impressive amount of work. If you wait long enough, I am quite certain you will reach the goal you set!
No pain, no gain!
If you want to see the light at the end of the tunnel, you will have to make the necessary efforts. Life is full of tunnels, and you need to go through them to grow. You need to suffer to learn. I mean, I wish it was not like this, but I do not get to decide. Without pain, you would not appreciate the reward so much, right ?
The early bird gets the worm.
If you want to get things done, get up early in the morning. Otherwise there will not be any worm left for you to catch. I love this idiom, much more than most others. I have a rather organized life-style, and I enjoy getting up early. It is in the morning which your brain is the most likely to be efficient, right?
How about you ? Are you a night owl or an early bird ?
Let's discuss!
Which one in this lot is your favorite idiom ? Do you have others along with their lessons which you would like to share ?
Usual Boring Sign-Off ?
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Take care of yourselves,
Phil.
