Commonplace Book

A Commonplace Book. “Commonplace”, from the Latin 'locus communis', meaning “a theme or argument of general application.”  For me, it is a collection of thoughts, ideas, anecdotes, poems, observations, and quotes that stood out and caught my attention, some with comment, some without. Essentially a scrapbook, a repository of thoughts too good to just pass over and let go.

"There isn’t one road to bliss, there are millions of them, and the sole thing they have in common might be that they’re all paved with at least a few dubious choices. Makes the road longer, hotter and uphill, sure. But it’s not about being perfect; it’s about developing some skill at managing imperfection."

(Carolyn Hax, Washington Post Advice Column, July 20, 2005)

"As the Lord did with the [Joseph Smith Sr] family failures, He is also able to make us strong, teach us new lessons, and prepare us through failures and setbacks for a much different future than we imagine."

(M Russell Ballard, How the Lord Prepared the World for the Restoration, Ensign January 2020) 

"Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”

(Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th President of the United States) 

"I, the Lord, am able to do mine own work" (2 Nephi 27:20, 21), but we are like little children that the Lord allows to help in His kitchen."

(First Counselor in the Stake Presidency, speaking in Sacrament Meeting in our ward, December 15, 2019)