By Only Joe King
The packet of sugar you are served when you order a cup of coffee in a Spanish bar or cafeteria often bears a motto or quote on the back. Some are witty, some are wise and almost all are true. Joe King has been taking a look.
I’ve started collecting packets of sugar from bars and cafés. I don’t take sugar, so the unopened packets don’t deposit a residue of sugar grains in my pocket or handbag.
The mottos, quotes or sayings are invariably in Spanish, although their authors are from many countries.
Take this one from German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (he of the amazing moustache):
“La ventaja de tener mala memoria es que se goza muchas veces de las mismas cosas.”
[The advantage of having a bad memory is that you can enjoy the same things over and over again.]
A great comfort for dementia sufferers, no doubt!
Witty
Americans Groucho Marx, WC Fields and Mark Twain were a great source of witticisms.
“Hijo mío, la felicidad está hecha de pequeñas cosas.
Un pequeño yate, una pequeña mansión, una pequeña fortuna …..” [Groucho Marx]
[My friend, happiness is brought about by small things: a small yacht, a small mansion, a small fortune.]
“I spent half my money on gambling, alcohol and wild women. The other half I wasted.” [WC Fields]
“I have overcome my will power and taken up smoking again.” [Mark Twain]
Wise
“La mente que se abre a una nueva idea, jamás volverá a su tamaño original.” [Anon.]
[The mind that opens up to new ideas will never go back to its original size.]
A very positive thought – perfect for die-hards and stick-in-the-muds!
I love this one, that sums up my post-Covid attitude to life after suffering several years of depression:
“Piensa como adulto,
vive como joven,
aconseja como anciano
Y nunca dejes de soñar como niño.”
[Think like an adult,
live life like a youngster,
give advice like an old person
but never stop dreaming like a child.]
Mother Theresa said many uplifting things.
“A veces sentimos que lo que hacemos es tan solo una gota en el mar, pero el mar seria menos si le faltara una gota.” [Mother Theresa of Calcutta]
[Sometimes we feel that what we do is nothing more than a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be diminished if a drop were missing.]
Anonymous is pretty prolific also:
“Disfruta de las pequeñas cosas.” [Anon.]
Enjoy the little things.
“Nada es imposible.” [Anon.]
[Nothing is imposible.]
“Lo único imposible es aquello que no intentas” [Anon.]
[The only imposible thing is the one thing that you don’t try.]
“AMOR, Felicidad, RISAS, Sueños”
[LOVE, Happiness, LAUGHS, Dreams.]
***
Where else do we see such witty, sage and uplifting sayings?
Look out for Only Joe King’s next article “In Bars, at the Office, on Fridges and on the Web”, coming soon to Eye On Spain.
With acknowledgements to:
A1 Photo Archive
ARR Grupo, Ronda
Café Bar Blanco y Negro, Ronda
Café Mena, Almería
Campanini
La Catunambo
Sotocafé
Tags: Americans, bar, cafeteria, coffee, die-hards, English, Friedrich Nietzsche, German, Groucho Marx, Joe King, Mark Twain, Mother Theresa, office, packet, quotes, sage, sayings, Spanish, stick-in-the-muds, sugar, sweetener, true, uplifting, WC Fields, web, wise, witty