Ecclesiastes

[balong]

If something seems novel and revolutionary to us, it is only because our perspective
is narrow, and we cannot see how the pattern repeats itself. Nothing has value simply
by virtue of being "new".

[balong]

Whatever you do, you must do for reasons that are true to yourself, and not
out of a desire to best your peers.

[balong]

Don't trouble yourself with public opinion of you, or take offense at others' dislike of
you. And don't feel superior to them- you've gossiped just the same.

[balong]

Don't overthink things, or you won't get anything done.

[balong]

Nostalgia is a mirage. In the present, you notice only the bad and overlook the good, and
with time, you forget the bad and exaggerate the good, so that the past always seems better.
It is wiser to learn how to see the good right now, than to long for days gone by.

[balong]

Bad things sometimes happen to good people, good things sometimes happen to bad people.
Don't overextend yourself trying to be good, or you'll be disappointed that you are not rewarded.

[balong]

Through entertainment and cheap satisfaction, we often seek to avoid criticism,
introspection, and self-improvement, but the joys of entertainment are temporary at best.

[balong]

Be attuned to the rhythm of life and of the world. Do things at the appropriate
time, and remember that nothing lasts forever.

[balong]

Attempting to understand everything is futile. Your perspective is always limited,
and there are things that will remain a mystery for you.