OPPORTUNITIES
We are faced with great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.
—Chuck Swindoll
If we haven’t the best, we can make the best of what we have.
A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
—Francis Bacon
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
—Theodore Roosevelt
Opportunity seldom knocks at your door. It now leaves an 800 number.
Recognize your responsibilities and you will see your opportunities.
—William Arthur Ward
When asked the secret of her joy and serenity, a grand, elderly woman replied, “I make the most of what comes and the least of what goes.”
Gentlemen, we are surrounded by insurmountable opportunities.
—Pogo
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
—Elmer Letterman
The Chinese call luck opportunity, and they say it knocks every day at your door. Some people hear it; some do not. It’s not enough to hear opportunity knock. You must let him in, greet him, make friends, and work together.
—Bernard Gittelson
In the days before modern harbors, a ship had to wait for the flood tide before it could make it to the port. The term for this situation in Latin was ob portu, that is, a ship standing over against a port, waiting for the moment when it could ride the turn of the tide to harbor.
The English word opportunity is derived from this original meaning. The captain and the crew were ready and waiting for it, that one moment, for they knew that if they missed it, they would have to wait for another tide to come in.
—Bits & Pieces
Results are obtained by exploiting opportunities, not by solving problems. All one can hope to get by solving problems is to restore normalcy.
—Peter Drucker
William Jennings Bryan gave an outstanding speech at the Democratic convention as the third time presidential candidate. Someone said, “That was an excellent message.” Bryan replied, “I made use of an opportunity.” Then he added, “That’s about all we do in life: use or abuse our opportunities.”
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
—Thomas Edison
OPTIMISM
When Goliath went to the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, “He’s so big, we can never kill him.” But David looked at him and thought, “He’s so big, I can’t miss.”
Two bumper stickers express an optimistic outlook: “Onward through the fog” and “On with the dream.”
A mayor, who was very proud of his city, was asked how the recession had affected it. He answered, “We don’t have a recession here, but I will admit we are having the worst boom in many years.”
Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. Make all your friends feel there is something in them. Look at the sunny side of everything. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give everyone a smile. Spend so much time improving yourself that you have no time left to criticize others. Be too big for worry and too noble for anger.
—Christian D. Larsen
When British Methodist preacher William Sangster learned that he had progressive muscular atrophy and could not get well, he made four resolutions and kept them to the end: (1) I will never complain; (2) I will keep the home bright; (3) I will count my blessings; (4) I will try to turn it to gain.
—Warren W. Wiersbe
A classic example of optimism is the seventy-year-old couple who bought some real estate and took out a thirty-year loan.
A man stopped to watch a Little League baseball game. He asked one of the youngsters what the score was.
“We’re behind eighteen to nothing,” was the answer.
“Well,” said the man, “I must say you don’t look discouraged.”
“Discouraged?” the boy said, puzzled. “Why should we be discouraged? We haven’t come to bat yet.”
An optimist is a lady who puts her shoes on when the preacher says, “And now in conclusion.”
Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.
I’m an optimist, but I’m an optimist who carries a raincoat.
—Sir Harold Wilson
The habit of looking on the best side of every event is worth more than a thousand pounds a year.
—Samuel Johnson
I’m not entirely an optimist who believes that the best will happen—and I’m not entirely a pessimist who believes that the worst will happen. You might say I’m a pessoptimist. I believe that the best will happen—but it won’t be good enough.
A man had lost a leg in an accident and when he was picked up and discovered what had actually happened, he said to those around him, “Thank God it was the leg with the arthritis.”
A pessimist says the rain will make mud; the optimist says it will lay the dust. The optimist says, “I am better today”; the pessimist says, “I was worse yesterday.” The optimist says, “I’m glad I’m alive”; the pessimist says, “I’m sorry I must die.” The optimist discovers some good even in evil; the pessimist finds some evil even in good.
If we can learn anything from reading history, it is that the optimists and enthusiasts have been right much more often than the pessimists and critics. For example, in 1899, Charles H. Deuell, Director of the U.S. Patent Office, wrote, “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” In 1905 Grover Cleveland said, “Sensible and responsible women do not want to vote.” Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize recipient in physics in 1923, said, “There is no likelihood man can ever tap the power of the atom.” Lloyd Kelvin, president of the Royal Society, said in 1895, “Heavier than air flying machines are impossible.” And in 1921, someone remarked, “Babe Ruth made a big mistake when he gave up pitching.”
The pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds and moans; the philosopher sees both the dark and bright side of the clouds and shrugs; and the optimist doesn’t even see the clouds—he is walking on them.
—Leslie B. Flynn
The doormat to the pessimist is a welcome mat to the optimist.
—William Arthur Ward
An optimist is a man who undertakes a seemingly impossible task in a spirit of immeasurable enthusiasm, unbounded determination, unbelievable excitement, indestructible confidence, uncompromising thoroughness, and indefatigable persistence … with understandable success.
—William Arthur Ward
If you laugh at your troubles, there’ll always be enough to laugh at.
An optimist is a man who, finding himself in hot water, decides he needs a bath anyway.
I figure there’s no use in being too particular. I don’t care which side my bread is buttered on. I always eat both sides anyway.
—Will Rogers
To an optimist, an alarm clock’s ring is an invitation to opportunity, adventure, and service.
The optimist recognizes a responsibility in every crisis; the pessimist sees a crisis in every responsibility.
To the optimist, all doors have handles and hinges; to the pessimist, all doors have locks and latches.
—William Arthur Ward
I am a short-term pessimist and a long-term optimist.
—Kenneth L. Kantzer
The pessimist majors in mistakes, misfortunes, and misery; the optimist accentuates assets, abundance, and advantages.
OPTOMETRIST
Sign in an optometrist’s office: “If you don’t see what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.”
—Farmer’s Almanac
ORDER
Most people believe in law and order as long as they can lay down the law and give the orders.
One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.
—A. A. Milne
A man hurt his finger when he was downtown. He asked someone where to go for help. So he went to the building and there were two doors marked “Physical” and “Mental.” He went in the “Physical” door. Inside that were two doors marked “Bone” and “Muscle.” He went in the “Bone” door. Inside that were two doors: “Surgery” and “Therapy.” He went in the “Surgery” door. Inside that were two other doors: “Major” and “Minor.” He went in the door marked “Minor,” and he was outside.
Someone said, “Did they help you in there?”
“No, but that’s the most organized place I’ve ever seen.”
ORDINATION
Ordination is the laying of empty hands on empty heads.
—Charles H. Spurgeon (who was never ordained)