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Quotes of the Day for 30 March 2007 – Slow
Eric Patrick Clapton was born at Ripley, Surrey, England on this day in 1945. He never knew his father and was mostly raised by his grandmother. He was given a guitar for his 13th birthday and struggled in learning to play, but put in the hours of practice and was playing in a band at 17. Despite struggles with depression and substance dependency interrupting his career at several points, he is among the most productive and versatile guitarists of our time. I'd list him as the finest rock guitarist of all time, but not everyone agrees. (Jimi Hendrix tops the list for many, and at least one long-time QOTD subscriber would pick Mark Knopfler. Sorry Andy, I say Clapton.) I enjoyed revisiting his story and remembering the tunes, but I don't have quotes from him. Instead, I'll play off his nickname. "Slowhand" gets all the notes he wants out of a guitar without thrashing or frenzy. Our quotes suggest the same approach for life.
The quotes:
These people who are always briskly doing something and as busy as waltzing mice, they have little, sharp, staccato ideas, such as: I see where I can make an annual cut of $3.47 in my meat budget. But they have no slow, big ideas.
- Brenda Ueland, 1891 - 1985
Be not afraid of going slowly; be afraid only of standing still.
- Chinese proverb
Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast, you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.
- Eddie Cantor, 1892 - 1964
Life improves slowly and goes wrong fast, and only catastrophe is clearly visible.
- Edward Teller, 1908 - 2003
He who is slowest in making a promise is most faithful in its performance.
- Jean Jacques Rousseau, 1712 - 1778
Maybe I'm lucky to be going so slowly, because I may be going in the wrong direction.
- Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant
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