What Role Do Inspirational Quotes Serve In Your Life?

I saw this quote on the kitchen wall of a new friend. I mused over it, and since it was a calendar, I flipped through about 6 months worth before I began thinking about the inherent redundancy in it. Isn’t it true? Why do we need inspirational speeches when we know what is at stake? “You got to want this more than the other person. Dig down and find what it takes to win this!” Why do we need to be told we are loved? Can’t we feel that amongst the people we love? Something made me snap a picture of this quote anyway. Maybe a different mood would help me be more accepting? A few days later I sent it to a friend as a reaction to her texting me that she was having a bad day and she loved it! She wrote back with such enthusiasm that my phone heated up: “You made my day, cheered me up and set me right all in one! Thank you so much. Love you!” So then I fell back into thinking about my doubt. I sent it to another friend. She wasn’t having a bad day, I sent it unsolicited. I have to be fair–I sent it as a question. “What role do inspirational quotes like this serve in your life?” This was her response:

“So funny timing, I just opened up your family photo two mornings ago and thought about you. I love the quote you sent. It’s nice, but I probably don’t react to them as your other friend did – I say that, but if I randomly received it on a day that was off, it would probably turn my day around. I have friends that do get very affected and love receiving these. I tend to like more of these…

Are you affected by receiving those messages? I enjoyed getting the email from you. It was kind and a great feeling and I was definitely affected by it, so maybe I’m a liar? Or maybe it depends upon who the sender is….?”

So, there you have it. Everything is about context I suppose. And now that I think about it, inspirational quotes do have a role in my life: Here’s one of my all time favorites.

“I quote others in order the better to express myself.“ —  Michel De Montaigne

help me dig down and find that extra something, when i need it.