Spend a few minutes backed up in traffic and you're sure to read an inspirational quote, whether it comes from a bumper sticker, billboard, or church sign.
Motivational phrases and inspirational quotes attract the attention of shoppers in a plethora of shops in every part of the world. Wall hangings that read "Live, Laugh, Love," can be found in home accessories store, while inspirational posters displaying "Hope" and "Believe in Yourself" can be found hanging in doctor's offices and schools around the country. What is it that attracts the human eye to objects that display these age-old sayings and words of wisdom? Does all civilization need a written pep talk to make it through hard times and to remind them that every moment should be treasured? It would seem so.
Inspirational quotes come from every part of the globe and from religious and nonreligious figures alike. Entire manuscripts have been written that contain nothing but quotes and proverbs, such as Sun Tzu's The Art of War, and the "Book of Proverbs" from the Holy Bible. Every culture contains its own variation of quotes and proverbs that continue to motivate those who read them. Americans have Ralph Waldo Emerson, Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy to quote for their inspiration, while the British have Winston Churchill and C.S. Lewis. Native Americans have Black Elk, Chief Joseph, and Tecumseh, while Asians have Sun Tzu, Gandhi and Buddha to quote. Inspirational quotes will continue to motivate and inspire those who read them for generations to come if the future can be judged by the past and present effect of the written word.