SEEDS for THOUGHT: Getting to Know Oneself, 2nd Edition

By Melvyn Freed

Socrates admonished us to "Know Thyself." Shakespeare proclaimed, "To thine own self be true." But to embody this sage advice, one must first ask and answer certain questions. The over 300 maxims contained herein will help to inspire the right questions to ask...so that you can arrive at the right answers for yourself. These maxims can inspire sermons, provoke philosophical debate, and prompt internal reflection. While they are often wise, witty, and humorous in their own right, the maxims are even more poignant when it is understood that they are the bequeathal of a father to his sons to continue guiding them from beyond the grave - and that this book is the posthumous tribute of a family to the husband and father who penned it. Melvyn Freed tweaked each phrase to tease out the intended tone and message so that the punch line was memorable. Each concerns basic life values that he hoped would help the reader discover their own fundamental moral and spiritual roots. Melvyn Freed could pen this book because his beliefs are expressed in each maxim. May he be remembered in the life of each reader through the successful application of these timeless truths.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098032852

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SEEDS for THOUGHT

Getting to Know Oneself, 2nd Edition

Melvyn N. Freed, PhD

Copyright © 2020 by Janet L. Freed

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Let’s Begin

In appreciation of my wife, Janet

Foreword

This is a book that should have not been published.  Two days before it was accepted for publication, the author suddenly passed away.  It is in posthumous tribute to the husband and father who penned it that his family completed this publication in his stead.

Socrates admonished, Know Thyself. Shakespeare proclaimed, To thine own self be true.  But to embody this sage advice, one must first ask and answer certain questions.

The over 300 maxims contained herein will help to inspire the right questions to ask…so that you can arrive at the right answers for yourself. They are wise, witty, and often humorous in their own right and can inspire sermons, provoke philosophical debate, and prompt internal reflection.

Based on a lifetime of study, observation, and reflection, these maxims are the effort of a lifelong educator and father, to pass on what he has learned in a succinct, understandable, and enduring way to further his objectives as a teacher.

And what is a father, if not a teacher? Therein lies the backstory to this book.  While Melvyn Freed provides his own reasons for penning this book, there is another reason that goes unstated by him, one that is nevertheless known by his family to be true: It is the bequeathal of a father to his sons to continue guiding them from beyond the grave.

Melvyn Freed tweaked each phrase to tease out the intended tone and message so that the punch line was memorable.  All of the maxims concern basic values of life, and it was his hope that it will help the reader discover their own fundamental moral and spiritual roots.

Melvyn Freed could write a book such as this because his beliefs concerning life are expressed in each maxim.  May he be remembered in the life of the reader through the successful application of these timeless truths.

Janet L. Freed

David A. Freed

Edward L. Freed

Preface

The rules of conduct are the rules of civility.  They prescribe how to interact with others as one’s personal life is being fulfilled.  The maxims contained within this book are among the hallmarks for virtuous living in the Twenty-first Century.  A large selection of themes has been addressed.  They are concerned with ethical conduct in contemporary society.  The emphasis is on personal responsibility and personal growth.

It is the intention of these axioms to motivate the reader to reflect on his/her conduct as a means of nurturing one’s own life and the lives of others.  These basic tenets establish the quality of life for the individual and for the community.  As these proverbs