Beginning in high school, I began jotting down
quotations that moved me. Within a few years, this randomly found
bundle of thoughts and sentiments evolved into a collection, categorized
by topic. Now, the entire collection, as it existed on my 50th
birthday, along with an introductory essay, is assembled in a
privately published edition for my family and friends.
In Other People’s Words, nearly every
quotation reflects a piece of my worldview, often revealing what
motivates me and the values that I hold most dear. As a teenager,
and then as a young man, the quotations helped to shape and reveal
the adult man I would become. With each quotation in the early
years of the collection, I provided myself with another chance
to safely try out new ideas and opinions on matters large and
small in the voice of others until I was prepared to adopt the
thought as true to who I wanted to be.
On my 50th birthday, I wanted to find a tangible
way to convey to my children my values and what I credited for
helping to form the man I had become, akin to both an ethical
will and an autobiography. This collection, dedicated to my beloved
wife and life partner, is before all else a gift to our children
from me. The quotations taken all together allow me to share a
world of exciting ideas that have motivated me in my life journey,
but on a range of topics far too wide and diverse to address in
an ethical will or a personal story of any kind.
In my introductory essay, “A Few Words
of My Own,” I tell how I came to collect quotations and
what they came to mean to me. I also share my belief that words
in general, but quotations in particular, are the nexus between
the two dynamic worlds of ideas and action. Words give form to
ideas and present a road map for action. Words, especially inspiring
words, are the essential partner for both ideas and action, and,
as such, the way to move the world forward to ever higher levels
of meaning.
Collecting quotations can be a humbling experience.
In the millions of words we speak in our lifetimes, for most of
us, not even one single sentence may be worthy of recording, repeating
and remembering. But, if I can’t be the author of a great
quote, I’m always glad to make a point with someone else’s
succinct nugget of well-said wisdom. Best of all, as time goes
by, I find the underlying thought, if not always the exact words,
influencing my own thoughts and actions.
As is true of any large collection, my favorites
vary by season and mood. I refer back to these quotations often,
and, with this edition, I hope Other People’s Words will
provide insight, and perhaps even inspiration, to those with whom
I am delighted to share it.
All my best,
Seth “Yossi” Siegel
