I’m rather fond of proverbs, clichés, idioms, truisms, sayings, maxims, platitudes… whatever you want to call them. When I write, my brain seems to conjure them up all the time. They just come creeping in to the conversation without my even trying. Hmm, “I wonder what Freud would say.” 😉
I like how some of them can be twisted. For example, “If less is more”… think how much less even more would be! Or is it, think of how much more even less would be?
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”…but it was a windy day that day!
How about, “I could care less!!” Could or couldn’t?? Is it that you could care less than you already do; you haven’t reached that limit yet? Or, is it that you are at the bottom of your caring and there is no way you could care any less? As Alexander Rozhenko said to his dad, Worf: “You’re confusing me father.” Btw, the higher the fewer!
OK. So what are some of your favorites? I’ll get you started:
- Necessity is the mother of invention.
- Squeaky wheel gets the oil.
- It is what it is.
- Never say never.
- What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
So, what’s (“in your wallet” 😉 ) comes to your mind?