I’m straying from my usual sarcastic and somewhat snarky tone to write a post that includes some of my favorite motivational and inspirational sayings for all you teachers (and people, in general) who need a little boost this week. With my birthday fast approaching (tomorrow…what? How is that possible already?), I began thinking about gifts that I’ve received throughout the years. Obviously I love a nice pair of shoes or a beautiful purse, but some of my most cherished and treasured gifts have been children’s books. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a great appreciation for children’s literature. A “safe bet” gift for me would be a picture book. I’ve been known to spend upwards of 2 hours in Half-Price Books just paging through picture book after picture book.
The reason I feel such a strong connection to these kinds of books is that they provide lessons for human beings of any age, not just toddlers. Sure, some of the picture books I’ve read don’t really convey much of a lesson at all (cough, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, cough). But then again, it is important to know that should you ever share a bus with a sky-rat (pigeon), you should be the one to drive, not him. So, I guess I take back my previous statement. All children’s literature teaches a lesson, however trivial that lesson may seem.
We all know the classics (like Winnie the Pooh’s, “You are braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem…”), so here are some of my favorite lesser-known quotes:
- “You might just hit the jackpot once in a while! If not, there’s always time to start from scratch and turn the page on the past.” –Reach for the Stars by Serge Bloch (this whole book is my kind of motivational speech)
- “Without a closet, you would have nowhere to put your shoes, and without a shower curtain, you would splash water all over the bathroom, and without the dark, everything would be light, and you would never know if you needed a light bulb.” –The Dark by Lemony Snicket
- “The boy looked out toward the horizon. The star glowed steadily, reminding him that he still had a long journey ahead. But it was his own journey, his very own wonderful journey.” –The North Star by Peter H. Reynolds
- “The boy realized at that moment that everyone has a different journey, different signs – and different stars. Their own constellations.” –The North Star by Peter H. Reynolds (this book’s a serious goldmine)
- “Whether you like it or not, alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot. And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on. But on you will go.” –Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss (obviously this book has a jillion other inspirational quotes, but this is one of my very favorites)
- “Today was a difficult day. Tomorrow will be better.” –Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
- “If you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” –The Twits by Roald Dahl
- “It has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. My mom says some days are like that.” –Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
If you’re ever looking for an original gift idea for a friend, slap one of these quotes onto a canvas and you’ll be the craftiest gift-giver on the planet! See below:
If you came here expecting sass, I’m sorry I didn’t provide that for you. Next time, I promise.
Juice Boxes and Glue Sticks 