In honor of this month's SLAM theme, Wisdom, we asked Moth staffers for their favorite wise words:
“I'll say the bit of wisdom that is currently speaking to me comes from a Glennon Doyle quote: ‘being human is not about feeling happy—it's about feeling everything.’ It's a reminder to me that I don't get to pick and choose which emotions rise up in my body, and to allow myself to feel what I'm feeling so that I can operate from a place of acknowledging the truth and opening myself up to make choices on how I want to respond. It's a lesson I've had to learn over and over again... sometimes—often times—the hard way.”
-Devan Sandiford, Program Manager, Community
“When choosing to be a young single mom, my dad told me that I'd need "a stove, a refrigerator, and a lawyer." He was right.”
-Jennifer Birmingham, Managing Director of Programs
“Since I was little, my dad has told me, ‘tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are.’ That's always resonated with me in terms of being intentional about the company I keep and how it impacts the person I want to be!”
-Melissa Weisberg, Manager of Membership
“I recently began taking care of (and eating a lot of cake with) my elderly German neighbor. She's about 90, never married, never had kids, and is full of these coffee-mug-type one-liners. Some of my favorites include ‘People need people’ and (in regards to having a long term partner) ‘let him run like a dog, he'll come back!’”
-Keighly Baron, SHRM-CP, Manager of People & Culture
“Don't be interesting. Be interested.”
Salma Ali, Digital Marketing Coordinator
“My grandmother always reminded me to speak up and let my voice be heard. Whenever something is difficult, and I can’t find words, or I’m afraid of the ones I come up with, I think of her, and even if it’s with a weak whisper, I start.”
-Jodi Powell, Producer
“Always work with people that are better than you, and surround yourself with people who see your light.”
-Jo Chiang, Associate Producer
"'Stop worrying where you're going — move on. If you can know where you're going, you've gone. Just keep moving on. I chose, and my world was shaken - so what? The choice may have been mistaken, the choosing was not. You have to move on...Look at what you want, not at where you are…'”. From Stephen Sondheim, “Move On” from Sunday in the Park with George. I often think about this song when working on creative projects, or facing a tough decision."
-Meryl Cooper, Publicist
"'Life is a play. We're unrehearsed.' - Mel Brooks."
-Larry Rosen, Master Instructor