Baskadia

Our world is united in so many different ways, that eliminate frontiers and forge a one-people human race. One of these uniting forces is the well-known proverbs and phrases that are commonly used all over the world. These phrases show that although our words are rather unique, we share a common fabric. Here are ten of the most common universal phrases.

1. God’s willing.

This phrase is commonly used by Christians all over the world to profess their faith in God. A well-known sentence in the ‘Our Father’ prayer simply says, ‘Thy will be done’.

Many people do believe that there is a superior being who controls everything in this universe and that it is extremely important to get his permission or approval, for what they do.

They also accept that nothing outside the will of this being will ever come to fruition. So whenever they affirm anything with a futuristic outset, they simply say ‘God’s Willing’ this will happen.

2. You reap what you sow.

This is not just a farmer’s reality. This phrase transcends all walks of life. It means that one who plants rice will harvest rice. However, this saying contemplates the outcome of our daily habits, work, and actions.

Life will pay us based on what and how much we invest. So, a thief will likely be imprisoned, a jogger will stay fit, eating salads will improve your health, and so on.

3. I love you.

Jai taime (French), te amo (Spanish), eu te amo (Portugues), wa ai ni (Chinese), – I love you. Probably the most commonly used sentence in all the world. Nonetheless, it is fast disappearing, as more and more people are failing to make love affairs last for long.

Another negative factor is the long list of divorces that happen on a daily basis. This leaves the modern romantics to use more words like ‘I care for you’ or ‘I like your style’.

On the other side, family ties and friendship are still bathing in the bliss of the true meaning of this phrase. Some with hugs and kisses, others with handshakes and friendly gestures, but most with these three little words – I love you. 

4. In God we trust.

No one knows for sure who used it first, but the US dollar bill and coins, state in their coat of arms, In God We Trust. The phrase seems to give some sort of credibility to the money, making it a legal tender. Many other countries – Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Nicaragua, etc., - use this exact phrase. 

However, this is another center of the Christian faith, who deeply place their hope and confidence in an all-powerful God who is able to defend and protect them from all evil. 

During the recent COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, several religious leaders decided not to use a mask or even vaccines, clinging to their belief that God would protect them. 

5. Better late than never.

This proverb is mostly used when something unusual, but expected, occurs. During the election campaign, Fox news placed an Obama Clock, to see how long it would take for him to appear on the show. When the former President appeared, Sunday, April 4, 2008, and they asked him why it took him so long, he replied ‘Better late than never’, after a 772-day delay.

This saying has nothing to do with arriving late for work, a dinner date, an interview, or a class. It is all about expectation, and finally getting it done. A friend of mine flunked so many courses at the university, that we thought that he would never graduate. 

About two years after we left, he finally finished all the required courses and received his degree. Better late than never.

6. Laughter is the best medicine.

Mother nature has created its own cure for stress and pain, a powerful, costless vaccine, produced by nature's best bio laboratory. This vaccine is commonly known as laughter

All about face: the vaccine starts its work on the human face, providing much-needed muscle stretching. Resulting in better skin tone for the human cheeks. 

Happiness harvesting:The human brain produces substances that help us control our overall reality. Laughter helps the brain to release more of these mood boosters, known as endorphins.

Endorphins help us to feel happier and more assertive of our person.

Body booster:Nature's vaccine knows no limits, expanding its curing effects into our most powerful organs. Laughter allows the lungs to intake more oxygen, stimulating the heart with more blood-cleaning agents.

This causes an increase in t-cell production resulting in better defense and a stronger immune system.

Bye-bye stress:Good laughter reduces the production of stress hormones, making us better prepared to face our challenges.

The health guide published in its online review that laughter not only reduces but also increases infection-fighting antibodies.

That old pain stamina:According to Swiss researchers and select health.org, laughter can also reduce, relieve or eliminate pain. More surely, improve our tolerance to pain.

At its best shot, nature's vaccine makes us ready to fight against the world of diseases and the stress of life. It is completely free and needs no medical degree to use it.

7. Time waits on no man.

Time is the duration between any two events. The day you were born until today, the hour you wake until the hour you sleep, - all measured in time. Time is available to all of us to use how we care, where we want to be, and whenever we want to.

Yet, it is a known fact, that time already exists with its norms and formats. Starting with sixty seconds that climb into an hour, twenty-four hours roll into a day, some fifty-two weeks combine into months and finally years. Unfortunately, you can’t pause or stop time. It will go on with or without you. We were born one day and we get older on a daily basis, even though we all prefer to stay young forever. 

8. An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.

I am betting that the writer meant to say fruit since not everyone lives where apples can be grown. So, let’s migrate if we wish to stay away from the doctor, or stay healthy. Yet, science has proven that this is more truthful than meets the eyes.

Fruits are packed with vitamins which are used by the body for defense, growth, and the construction of tissues and cells. So a going diet with adequate fruits will definitely reduce the amount of time we spend with the doctor.

There are over fifteen known vitamins, labeled from A to K, with Vitamin B having an entire complex of up to twelve types. Except for Vitamin D which is available in the sunlight, fruits and vegetable are the main sources.

Some diseases, like rickets, scurvy, night blindness, and meningitis, are easily avoided with sufficient vitamins. Other vitamins, such as vitamins A and K, help the blood clot, and better our vision. Vitamin E is considered the reproductive agent, as it helps with the ovulation process.

So be sure to improve your daily fruit consumption, and the saying says, keep the doctor away.

9. It never rains but it pours.

Some sayings have nothing to do with the principal element in it. In this case, the rain. Literally, it’s impossible to have a torrential downpour, without rain. This phrase refers to breaks of luck or bad luck. A series of events that follow closely behind each other, either good or bad.

A baseball team might have been just one game away from being eliminated from the season when bang! They peg on a winning streak that takes them to the semi-finals. In the semi, they would have been eliminated but the opposing team was disqualified.

Another streak would be that of a police officer who lost his badge, on the same day that his son was expelled from school. On their way home, they got in a car accident, during which his wife calls only to inform him that their house just burnt to the ground.

For either example, it is safe to say, ‘It never rains, but it pours.’

10. Every mickle makes a muckle.

This may have been an original Chinese phrase, being known for their incredible capacity to save. The application in life is awesome and is bent on encouraging people to care about whatever treasures life brings, no matter how small.

Sometimes, we may not appreciate the small buyers, business offers, or bleak opportunities. But, we begin to take each as part of the whole, then we will see that every sale, big or small really matters.

In every bank, there are big depositors who inject in sums of thousands, and small clients who may deposit only tens. Nonetheless, the bank will show all of these deposits only in one sum total.