The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it.
|
Any great truth can -- and eventually will -- be expressed as a cliche -- a cliche is a sure and certain way to dilute an idea. For instance, my grandmother used to say, 'The black cat is always the last one off the fence.' I have no idea what she meant, but at one time, it was undoubtedly true.
|
I graduated pretty quickly. When I was eleven or twelve a close friend of the family got lynched. I guess he was about forty years old, married, and we used to play with his kids. I remember the Saturday night a bunch of white men beat him to death at the Decatur fairgrounds because he sassed back a white woman. They just left him dead on the ground. Everyone in town knew it but never said a word in public. I went down and saw his bloody clothes. They left those clothes on a fence for about a year. Every Negro in town was supposed to get the message from those clothes and I can see those clothes now in my mind's eye.... But nothing was said in public. No sermons in church. No news. No protest. It was as though this man just dissolved except for the bloody clothes.... Just before I went into the Army I began wondering how long I could stand it. I used to watch the Saturday night sport of white men trying to run down a Negro with their car, or white gangs coming through town to beat up a Negro.
|
Four Lessons on Life 1. Never take down a fence until you know why it was put up. 2. If you get too far ahead of the army, your soldiers may mistake you for the enemy. 3. Don't complain about the bottom rungs of the ladder they helped to get you higher. 4. If you want to enjoy the rainbow, be prepared to endure the storm.
|
Individualism, as a definition of holding to personal ideals, is classed as obstinacy and anti-social. Inevitably we run point blank into the evils of compromise. When compromise enters our moral fiber, it spreads like a cancerous growth. We think we plan adequate safeguards around areas in which we contemplate yielding our standards, but once we lower the fence and break our strong will to do right, come what may, we expose ourselves to forces that spread beyond control. Compromise always starts on some rather insignificant principle. The dangers of yielding seem negligible and we usually risk those things first where observation and detection by others is difficult. We thus seek to avoid censure and discipline. In a short time we find ourselves trading our principles for false values and doing it in the black market of human relationships. . . .
|
He has sat on the fence so long that the iron has entered his soul.
|
The grass is not, in fact, always greener on the other side of the fence. Fences have nothing to do with it. The grass is greenest where it is watered. When crossing over fences, carry water with you and tend the grass wherever you may be.
|
There is something about jumping a horse over a fence, something that makes you feel good. Perhaps it's the risk, the gamble. In any event it's a thing I need.
|
Build a little fence of trust around today; Fill the space with loving deeds, And therein stay. Look not through the sheltering bars Upon tomorrow; God will help thee bear what comes of joy and sorrow.
|
A teacher asked her students if they could use the words 'defeat, defense, and detail' in a sentence. Little Johnny was a smarty, so he answered with, ' De feet of de dog went over de fence before de tail.'
|
A mental midget with the IQ of a fence post.
|
Love your neighbor, but don't tear down your fence.
|
They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use, and fence their neighbors away from her, and deface her with their buildings and their refuse.
|
Don't ever take a fence down until you know the reason it was put up.
|
It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.
|
A good neighbor is a fellow who smiles at you over the back fence, but doesn't climb over it.
|
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.
|
Anytime you see a turtle up on top of a fence post, you know he had some help.
|
My wife and I had decided not to let anybody take pictures of our home because it was just the last place on earth we had that was unscathed. But people have climbed over the fence; they've taken aerial shots. They've gotten my address and put it on the Internet.
|
When we parcel heaven and fence eternity, when the wildness is all tamed and torn, don't let me live to see.
|
The grass is always greener where the fence isn't.
|
Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow.
|
The fence around a cemetery is foolish, for those inside can't get out and those outside don't want to get in.
|
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.
|
A fence should be horse high, hog tight and bull strong.
|
There's a fine line between courage and foolishness. Too bad its not a fence.
|
Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather by your friends.
|
Don't ever take a fence down until you know the reason why it was put up.
|
You shouldn't take a fence down until you know the reason it was put up.
|
Everyone pushes a falling fence.
|