Cliches are looked down upon, but sitting here today looking out my window, I realize that that so much wisdom has already been said in sayings and adages, and that they remind us of fundamental truths all of the time. Outside my window now are low-lying misty clouds and in between a kind of ethereal fog that seems to be swirling like the sea. The silhouette of the mountains is just perceptible in the distance, and I was very happy with the beauty of it all. I guess sayings become cliche when they no longer do what they are supposed to do- evoke metaphors and deeper meanings. For to say that a cloud has a silver lining obviously has two meanings; but the physical observation of a beautiful cloud is direct and an end in itself.

But I am not here to write a top ten list of my favorite adages. For one thing, old sayings don't have a whole lot of impact when thrust out at life; they're much more interesting as an artifact of one's own wisdom. For example, as I watched the clouds today the 'silver lining' wisdom came into my head as an afterthought. It was only then that its metaphorical implications in regards to the trails and tribulations of life along with optimism occurred to me, and I realized that while an endless number of souls have been observing the same thing, someone came up with that adage and thankfully it stuck.

So don't count your chickens before they hatch, remember that while a stitch in time saves nine, an ounce of prevention is also worth a pound of cure. Don't sit on your laurels because the early bird gets the worm, and it is also very true, scientifically in fact, that a penny saved is a penny earned. Take time to smell the roses, because while quality work takes time, time is 'not' really money. You can take that to the bank.