Throwback Wednesday: Words of Wisdom by Dr. Seuss and Dr. Lavi

Thought for the Day: Here's an older post from my Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Series. It connects to the trivia question I will be answering tomorrow, but only looks at one angle to the complex question I asked about whether pretending to be happy can help fight depression.  Here's what I wrote a while back:

Thought of the Day: In Wednesday's Words of Wisdom I have brought quotes from great psychologists, psychiatrists & teachers. Today's quote comes from a great artist & author of 45 children's books who has inspired generations of children (& their parents) with humor, creativity & a genuine desire to make the world a more caring peaceful place. 

Born Theodor Seuss Geisel in 1904, very few people know his real name. Geisel is known around the world as Dr. Seuss. He adopted the name Dr. Seuss in his early career as an undergraduate student at Dartmouth University. Although he began a graduate degree at Oxford University, he dropped out & pursued cartooning full time.  His 1st book was rejected by 27 publishers before it was accepted; it was not long before he became an acclaimed children's author.  His list of best selling books, including The Cat in the Hat & Green Eggs and Ham, have been translated into more than twenty languages & over 200 million copies have been sold around the world.

It is an understatement to say that Dr. Seuss' books have made a lasting impression on many generations around the world. His unique, creative illustrations, whacky rhymes & simple words of wisdom are read & recited repeatedly not only in homes, but also on TV, ia Broadway musical & movie renditions of his work. From children books, quotes, to controversial adult books, such as The Butter Battle Book, his messages resonate loud & clear. 

Although I love this quote by Dr. Seuss, "Don’t cry because it’s over but smile because it happened,” I feel a need to change it a bit. Instead I would say: "Cry because its over until you can smile because it happened." Encouraging people to let themselves cry when they are grieving is important. By teaching our children & ourselves that crying is a healthy way to release our darker emotions, we all can make room eventually for the brighter feelings of joy & gratitude when we remember what we have lost.

Although Dr. Seuss passed away in 1991, his memory will live on with his treasure trove of books & illustrations which will bring smiles to all who read his work.

Photos:
Top Right: From Wikipedia Commons {{Information |Source=Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c16956 |Description= Ted Geisel (Dr. Seuss) half-length portrait, seated at  photo 2

Bottom Left : FlickrCC.com  'Green Eggs and Ham' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/92382806@N00/422005531
Bottom Middle: FlickrCC.com 'Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/8489692@N03/4400664151
Bottom Right: FlickrCC.com 'DSC_2174' http-/www.flickr.com/photos/51035747113@N01/10920509