Monday 7 January 2013

Four things come not back ...

I was talking to a neighbour, Vic, who is over 80, yesterday.  Vic is fitter than me, which isn't so difficult nowadays, and still works in his garden and repairs his small garden shed when the felt is blown off the roof.

We got to talking about Christmas and had we enjoyed it and I told him that although Christmas Day was a special day for me I also regarded all the other days as special too. I didn't want any particular day to seem any more special than the others. 

Then Vic referred to what he called a Shakespearean quote : "Four things come not back: the spoken word, the sped arrow, the past life and the neglected opportunity."

He couldn't remember what play it was from but he'd learnt it as a boy and had never forgotten it. 

I had never heard it before.

We savoured it a bit and then went our separate ways ... but I was pleased that I had learnt something new and set my mind to look it up.

And when I looked it up this morning I discovered that it isn't Shakespearean at all but an Arabian proverb. I do think, in translation, they might have come up with something that sounds a little more in keeping with the wording when it comes to 'the neglected opportunity'.

10 comments:

  1. I haven't heard this quote before,how true it is.It also has more meaning as you get older to.Ann

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    1. I am indebted to Vic for coming up with this gem in passing conversation Ann. It's funny how things happen sometimes isn't it.

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  2. Perhaps 'the missed chance' would not sound so cumbersome as 'the neglected opportunity'.

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    1. I think your wording is definitely better Mitch ... and more in keeping.

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  3. I breathed a sigh of relief when you said you didn't recognize the quote either. But it has the universal ring of truth to it, so I might assumme it was a famous author's quote too. I just love the things you blog about. Sometimes I think mine are more like twitter - twattle - twiddle - de dum. Thank you for this blog, dear heart.

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    1. I was wondering if I was the only one who hadn't heard it ... I'm glad I wasn't Karyn. I am flattered that you rate my blogs so highly. It means a lot. Thank you.

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  4. I guess it shouldn't really matter who the quote's by... although saying it's by Shakespeare/Churchill/Wilde or is an ancient Arabic/Chinese/Greek proverb unfortunately carries more kudos than 'it's something my 80 year old neighbour once said to me'. Shame that because its the message that's profound not the source.

    Thanks for introducing me to a new phrase Charlie

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    1. It's my pleasure Ian ... I really should jot them down. As you say it doesn't really matter who comes up with a phrase or saying ...

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  5. I must say, in reading the quote, before I got further down your post, Charlie, I thought it sounded like Shakespeare, but the 'neglected opportuity' grated. Maybe Shakespeare might have said something like 'the moment unseized'.

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    1. 'The moment unseized' sounds good Neil ...

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