We all would have heard of wise proverbs. These are short messages with deeper meaning about life. However, we misunderstand the meaning of some proverbs and question their meaning. Most of the proverbs have truth behind them if we introspect over them carefully. Here are some proverbs that we tend to misunderstand.

A contented mind is a continual feast

The real meaning of this proverb is that if you have a serene outlook towards life, you will have happiness and satisfaction. You can always aim high, which is a necessity of life, but that should not become greed. And you should not also confuse between contentment and complacency. Complacency involves thinking that you have attained a certain stage in life wherein you needn’t improve on your skills. But that’s not the correct attitude towards life.

Do good and throw it in the sea

You may ask how can I do good and let everyone not know about it. But the beauty of doing good is such immense. This philosophy is taught universally with good reason behind it. The main idea behind this proverb is that let us not be preoccupied with the outcome of  our good deeds. If we do it spontaneously without boasting over it, it will give us the much-needed tranquillity to face the world.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

This proverb doesn’t mean that you have to imitate the culture of the place that you are living in. It  means that you should respect the similarities and differences of different cultures. For example, when you are in a different place you can have lunch with them at the time they are having lunch. The key is in still following your customs and traditions by simultaneously appreciating theirs.

Speech is silver, silence is golden

Nowadays people are talking about the importance of speech. You may ask how can be silence superior to speech. At certain times silence is useful to avoid unnecessary arguments.  But the present scenario is that everyone wants things to be clear through speech. In such a case, imagine this scenario. When somebody is accusing you of no mistake of yours, what will you do? Will you keep quiet or defend yourself? If you keep quiet, the other person may understand his/her mistake.

Honesty is the best policy

Values give meaning to our lives. Honesty is a great policy which shows that we are adhering to values. But one may say, “We cannot be too honest in this world. It is straight trees that are cut first”.That is true to an extent. When we are too honest, people may expect more than reasonable from us. However, you can always be honest with your friends and family. The good thing about honesty here is that you will have a good impression about yourself . Your family and friends will also rely on you. At the end of the day, you will realise that what you think about yourself becomes important.

The ancient proverbs have lot of meaning attached to them if only take time to understand their meaning. This blog is an attempt to remove any misunderstanding regarding some proverbs. If you have such proverbs in mind, you can share yours…