There is no one alive who is youer than you…

Ken jy die naam “Theodor Seuss Geisel”? ’n Leidraad:

Theodor Seuss Geisel was die skrywer en illustreerder van, onder andere, 46 kinderboeke. Hy het onder skuilname, waarvan “Dr. Seuss” sekerlik die bekendste is, geskryf.

Hy was wys, maar het tog nie met sy wysheid en logika te koop geloop nie. Hy het dit ook nie op ander afgedwing nie. Of so lei ek af. Anders sou hy sekerlik nie onder verskeie skuilname geskryf het nie. Theodor se genialiteit, kwinkslae en lewenslesse het op poëtiese manier in sy werk na vore gekom.

Ek is mal mal mal oor sy woorde. Woorde en sinsnedes wat dikwels in my eie lewe, persoonlik en as Suid-Afrikaner, toepassing vind. Hier is ’n paar van my gunsteling aanhalings:

“Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is youer than you!”

“Today I shall behave, as if this is the day I will be remembered.”

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

“When you think things are bad, when you feel sour and blue, when you start to get mad… you should do what I do! Just tell yourself, Duckie, you’re really quite lucky! Some people are much more… oh, ever so much more… oh, muchly much-much more unlucky than you!”

“How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.”

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the one who’ll decide where to go.”

“You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.”

“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.”

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”

“If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew, just go right along and you’ll start happening too.”

Gaan krap gerus op Goodreads rond vir nog meer van Theodor Seuss Geisel se wyse, en dikwels komiese, woorde.