The NerdHerd Reads: {Birthday Blogaversary Bash} The One Who Nerds Out About Quotes

Hello again! Today, I have Jessica from Fly to Fiction here to discuss what she nerds out about! So sit back, relax, and give Jessica a warm welcome!

Hey everyone! Firstly, thank you to RachelMarie for inviting me to be a part of this awesome event! Happy Birthday and Blogoversary!

Secondly, I have to admit that when I learned about the theme of this post, I freaked out a little bit. Not because I didn't know what to write about, but because I had too much to write about! How was I to narrow down the things I fangirl about when there’s probably a list of a thousand or more things that I, in some way, fangirl/nerd out about. I could have gone the predictable route--books, movies, music, TV shows (this was such a huge contender). I could have talked about dance, which I can’t say is predictable unless you know me. But I've decided to write about how I nerd out/fangirl about quotes.

Yup, quotes. Quotes in books, quotes in movies, quotes from song lyrics, quotes from poems, quotes from TV shows, quotes from just about anything!

I love various types of quotes for various reasons. There are funny quotes that just make me laugh. There are deep, meaningful quotes that just make me think and that get to bottom of my soul. There are pretty quotes that are just so nice to read and say aloud. There are inspirational quotes that can get me through a tough time. There are quotes that just GET it, if you know what I mean. A short quote can mean so much and evoke so many thoughts and emotions, and I find that to be so incredibly powerful and amazing.

So I've decided to share some of my favorite quotes with you today! (Not in any particular order)

“They who dance find infinite golden floors beneath their feet.” - They Who Dance by Marjorie Allen Seiffert

As a dancer, this quote just speaks volumes to me. It gets at the core of what it means to be a dancer. If you truly love to dance, every floor can be a dance floor, waiting for you to dance on it. There’s just so much beauty in this portion of the poem and in the poem in general. This is my favorite dance poem, and this is one of my favorite quotes of all time.

“Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.” - Martha Graham

This has, particularly in the past year or two, become SO important for me. I need to remind myself of this--that dancers with great technique but no passion or emotion can only be so great; it’s the dancers that feel, that dance with a passion, that can’t imagine not dancing, that feels the emotions of a dance that are truly great. I constantly need to remind myself of this when I start to compare myself to other dancers and to my dance friends. I am a good dancer not because I’m good with technique and can do all the cool tricks, but because I dance with a passion. I put emotion into what I dance. I get into the zone when I’m dancing. I am connected to the music, the feeling, the floor, and the sky. And I think that’s what makes me a good dancer. When I start to feel my self-esteem dropping because of dance, I try to remember this. Yes, others are great in some aspects, but there are many aspects of dance that I excel at too.

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the lights.” - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

This is my go-to quote when I’m having a bad day or going through a tough time. This reminds me to have hope, and it’s meant so much to me as I've grown up. It will continue to be one of my all time favorite quotes.

“It is our choices…that show who we are, far more than our abilities.” - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

I love this. Yes, it’s another Harry Potter one (there are more below too). But this is so impactful in so many ways. You are who you choose to be. Your abilities can only take you so far. It means that you don’t have to be the smartest, the bravest, the best at something. Your actions can make you the better person. I think about this all the time when faced with a choice.

"We must try not to sink beneath our anguish…but battle on." - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

So inspiring. This reminds me to keep moving forward when things get tough because there’s always a way out, you just have to push past the hard parts and get there.

“It take a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.” - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

I love this quote for so many different reasons. Firstly, it reminds me of the different forms of bravery, and it makes me feel better about not being brave. Because I might not fit the conventional definition of brave, but there are moments when I think I’m brave in my own right. This is also one quote I go back to all the time because it reminds me that it’s okay to stand up to your friends. It’s not wrong. It’s just as brave to say it to a friend as it is to tell it to someone you hate. If that makes any sense.

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.” - Henri Nouwen

This just gets at the heart of friendship so well. Yes, it’s great to have someone that tries to give me advice, but for me, the people I’m closest to are the ones that just GET it. They’re always there for me, they understand what I’m going through, and rather than telling me what I should do, they just tell me that they understand. Because empathy is so important in friendships.

One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood.” - Lucius Annaeus Seneca

This very similar to the previous quote. My two best friends are my best friends because they get me in a way very few people do. Perhaps they understand me in different ways, but they understand me and are always there for me. No matter their flaws, that is why they’re my best friends.

“Sometimes, you’re wrong.” - Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ Rule Fifty One, NCIS

This quote touched me in a way I never expected that it would. I doubt many people would find this quote to be spectacular, but it is to me. For me, this quote is so vital because it reminds me that it’s okay to be wrong and that it’s okay to mess up sometimes. It’s okay to let yourself be human. When I feel disappointed in myself, I think of this.

I won't be made useless I won't be idle with despair I will gather myself around my faith For light does the darkness most fear My hands are small, I know But they're not yours, they are my own - Hands by Jewel

I used to love this song so much--and for a good reason. This song means so much more than it appears to be about. There’s a depth to this song that I just can’t get over. I love these lines in particular because it’s about taking your life into your own hands. If you have strength and courage and just keep going, you’ll be okay. You are the only one that can do the things you do. You can be in control of yourself and your actions; you can make your own decisions.

Well, there you have it! These are only a handful of many quotes that I love and reflect on often. And I've also included some quotes related to other things I nerd out about, so yay! I hope that you may find one of these quotes impactful.

Thank you again, RachelMarie! I've loved sharing one of the many things I fangirl about.

Thank you, Jessica, for sharing those awesome quotes. I have a notebook that I use for random things that just has pages of quotes, so you aren't the only one. Which quote of the ones Jessica shared is your favorite?

And if you haven't already, enter the blogaversary giveaway below, or the Blind Date with a Book giveaways!

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