The following is Gillon Davis’s Quote du Jour. Please
reflect thoughtfully, critically, and respectfully about it and respond with
comments.
“Every day I remind
myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men,
living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same
measure as I have received and am still receiving.” Albert Einstein
(1879-1955)
This quote comes from an essay Albert Einstein wrote called
“The World as I See It.”
What It Means to Me
• I
chose this quote because I believe in every word of it
• There
are so many people out there that work more than most of us will ever have to
but don’t get any credit for
it. Our garbage men, the people who grow our food, the people who pave our
roads and sidewalks.
• Not
only them though, most people in our community work and the work they do has
some impact on our society. It is our duty to do our jobs and do our jobs well
because someone somewhere out there is affected by what we do even if you don’t think so.
• The
other day a huge tree fell in my neighbors hard because of a bad storm, this
man is 83 years old, he is a veteran of Vietnam and has run a farm up until
recently when he got sick. He was to sick to cut the tree up himself and as
much as I wanted to sleep in and not go cut up a tree on a Saturday morning in
100 degrees I thought about how this man put his life on the line for my
freedom and he has worked extremely hard his entire life and it made me feel
bad for even thinking about not wanting to cut up a single tree.
Deacon D’s Questions and Reflections
• My
own quote du jour was about an African concept called “ubuntu,” the idea that
we are who we are not by virtue of ourselves alone but through our relationship
with others. How is that concept related to Einstein’s quote?
• Learning
about one’s ancestors, their characteristics and accomplishments, can be a
fascinating means of learning about your own. What personality traits and
values of your grandparents (or an even earlier generations) do you see in
yourself?
• Einstein
is widely regarded as one of the greatest minds and scientists of all time, and
yet he speaks of his debt to others –both living and dead. Outside of our
family, who has left a lasting imprint on your life, helping to make you what
you are today..
This quote is very inspirational. We take so many things for granted especially at EHS. We overlook our freedom and don't wonder how the school campus stays clean or the trash cans get cleaned out. Soldiers risk their lives so that we can stay free and safe but we do very little to acknowledge that. I try to take every chance I get to thank some one for their hard work.
ReplyDeleteThis quote means to me that people need to appreciate other people and realize the life that they have put in front of us. It does not only apply to the present, but also the past. People who are long gone for example Martin Luther King Jr. are still looked at as being the foundation to certain liberties that are given to people today. We just need to remember that someone else made how we live today possible.
ReplyDeleteI really really like this quote. As I see it, Einstein means that we should be selfless and give back to the world because other people have given their time, efforts, and even lives to make this world a little better. I think that if everyone thought like this, then it would make life in this world a little more pleasant. After hearing Gillon's story, I also took this quote to mean that people should take responsibility for each other (as in, care for each other in times of need).
ReplyDeleteI think this quote is so thought provoking. As we go on about our lives, I think sometimes we forget about all of the people to work to allow us to live the lives we live. I know I forget to appreciate it. I think it is so important that we realize all the sacrifices other people have and realize that instead of just expecting it we should recognize it has a privilege! But how do you should your appreciation, it seems pretty impossible to thank every single person who has had an impact on our lives who deserve gratitude! On a smaller spectrum, I think parents and educators!
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize it until I read the quote that someone has a job that we take for granted.If it weren't for soldiers we wouldn't be able to walk the street safely and our freedom would be taken away. Another job we take for granted has to do with the resent hurricane. The men and women that were out trying to get everyone's power back. IF it weren't for those people we might not have power right now.
ReplyDeleteI think that we all should focus on what we give back to others. Most of us act as if everyone owes us something but we should think about what we owe everyone else. Like my grandparents I have the same willing to work ethic that will hopefully carry me far in life. For me the National Disaster Relief Team of orthopedic and general surgeons are my inspiration because they travel all over the world helping people in different countries after natural disasters. These are the surgeons that went to Haiti after the earthquake and Japan after the tsunami. These surgeons leave their normal jobs and go give back to the world and they inspire me to do the same.
ReplyDeleteI really like this quote because it makes me think about how pretty much everyone influences me in some way, but it also makes me think about how I influence others. I know everyone has an impact on me: servicemen, soldiers, my family, any worker that makes how I live easier. When I think about how I may influence others though, that is kinda scary; I know I don't always make the best decisions, nobody does, but I hope that I'm a good influence to those around me. This quote makes you think about all that I take for granted and want to show my appreciation for all that others do for me somehow.
ReplyDeleteThinking about this quote really makes me realize how much has happened in the past to get me to where I am today. I don't think it means that it has to be constrained the world, as my family contributed just as much. Those sites like Ancestry.com and FamilyTree have the same effect--it just makes you feel small.
ReplyDeleteI used to play this game all the time when I was little. You take your smallest thing and then expand it out. This computer I'm typing on is in Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge is in Louisiana. Louisiana is in the USA. The USA is in the Western Hemisphere. The Western Hemisphere is part of the Earth. The Earth is part of the Solar System. The Solar System is part of the Milky Way. The Milky Way is part of the Universe. You just have to appreciate what you've got and how amazing it is that you're given a shot to live a life.
This quote means to me that everday I need to remind myself that I have been giving opportunities and helped and that I should be thankful by working hard to repay people. This is something I need to practice because I forget all that my parents have done for me, but I am really thankful for what they have done. I need to show my appreciation by not taking the opportunities for granted and working hard in school to take advantage of my education.
ReplyDeleteThis quote is very motivational. It reminds me that there is always someone who I am tripping to become--meaning there is always someone who has paved the way and accomplished what I am trying to accomplish most likely. I agree with Lindsay's quote above as well. She explains how she has to remind herself that she has been given opportunities that she should be thankful by working hard to repay people for. I could not agree anymore to what Lindsay is saying!
ReplyDelete