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Blog > March Writing Prompt: quotes and mottos

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The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!

This month, our suggestion invites you to think about those sayings that stuck with you. Here it goes:

In March, share a favorite quote or motto.
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Where to start, right? There are so many good quotes and life mottos that spring to mind, that it’s rather difficult to pick one. And how can you explain to the recipient the significance of that quote to you?

So… I’ll try to go first. In one of his books, American writer Kurt Vonnegut introduces his uncle Alex, who would often complain that human beings rarely noticed when they were happy. So, in order to notice and appreciate those moments, now and then he would interrupt whatever he was doing and exclaim “If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is". I liked this idea so much that I adopted it as my own motto and started doing it as well, pausing briefly every so often to acknowledge my own happiness. It’s amazing how many simple moments throughout the day are sources of contentment and gratitude.

What about you? Which quotes have stuck with you, or which words do you try to live by? Share them on the postcards you send out this month!

32 comments so far

Wendy-xiaowen, China

I think I'll write some mottos that I read in my recent books.I can always read some good sentences while reading.It would be great if they could be shared with the people who will receive the postcards.😉

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mari-ar, Netherlands

I often write quotes on my cards, but one has to be able to write in tiny letters...

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JILL_D, United States of America

I love to write quotes on my postcards, though I often underestimate how much space they take up. I keep an inspiration board of quotes on pinterest which I refer to when I write.

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maggy1717, United States of America

ohh! I love quotes..I will do it depending on what the person likes... or about what a good communication we have "postcrossing!
so, we can express something else.

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bandcrab, United States of America

I've always like "I feel infinite" from "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." :)

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saulytera, Lithuania

Wow, great!
My favorite ones are about nature:
''We are affected much stronger by the blossoming than the blossom itself.'' - Vydūnas
''Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.'' :)

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sharifah, Brunei

I love quotes. My fave keeps on changing depending on my mood of the day too 😸😸😸

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ezredax, United States of America

Ove of my favorites is "be the sunshine, not the rain"

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nianju, Taiwan

“Seize the day. "
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

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Asya_Revenko, Russia

No one takes the first step because everyone thinks it's not mutual. F. Dostoevsky

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Luciano, Brazil

Martha Medeiros, a Brazilian writer has beautiful quotes:
“You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.

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Worlds_Away, Portugal

Humankind, be both.
Jimmy Durante song “Make someone happy and you will be happy too” urge us to make someone happy and that is my Postcrossing motto.

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rockycip, United States of America

Will do. Thank you for the suggestion, including explaining the significance of quote to me.
Roxanne

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Talal90Ahmed, Iraq

me too i like the books and reading thank post crossing --

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chinhxitrum, Vietnam

I like reading inspirational quotes and I usually write meaningful quotes on my postcards. My favorite quote ever, the key word is Happy and it's also my motto in doing everything.
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” - John Lennon

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Stenna, Russia

"Love save the world" - this is my favorite quote.

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Hanley, Dominican Republic

The most common motto in my city (San Francisco de Macoris) is 'if you look for me, you'll find me'' and it's transmite the idea that if you do something to a person that person will be do something for you.
For example: If you become somebody friend, that will become you're friend.

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HelloaRaa, Indonesia

Be your self and fighting!

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tazzini, United States of America

Anything worth having is worth fighting for

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Heepy, United States of America

Mine is kind of long, it's the beginning of The Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan:
"“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. ... There are neither beginnings nor endings to the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.”
I might actually use this on postcards this month, thank you.

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serafaina, United States of America

The Aerosmith song "Amazing" ends with a great quote: The light at the end of the tunnel may be you.

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Mosshumla, Sweden

I'm a full-grown pessimist, so my motto is "Don't worry, it won't work!"
I don't write that on postcards though.

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JoDennis, United States of America

Coming from Detroit, MI I like a quote from Henry Ford. “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right!”

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alison41, South Africa

I enjoyed the Kurt Vonnegut quote : a great idea to live by. Hmm - chosing a South African quote is going to be tricky but I'm working on it.

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BevV, Zimbabwe

I love all the quotes written in the comment. Alison41 - you have great authors and other famous people for fantastic quotes - Nelson Mandela, Alan Paton, Herman Charles Bosman, Sir James Percy FitzPatrick, just to name a few. I am looking forward to receiving my cards to see what people have written.

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FatimaIgnacio, Brazil

Words create shapes.

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susandhu, Australia

My grandmother would always look up from what she was doing and ask "I wonder what the poor folk are doing?". Since we were actually poor, it took me until my 7th birthday to work out that she meant unhappy people, people who aren't enjoying what they are doing. And of course, Grandma always enjoyed the company of her grandchildren, making her feel very rich indeed.

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Alois-, China

"Life is now"
From Skam

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Sprinkledonut, Canada

"Forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness but because you deserve peace." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie

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socialgadfly, United States of America

Life is an operation which is done in a forward direction. one lives toward the future
Jose Ortega Y Gasset

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realfantasy, Russia

Надо любить жизнь больше, чем смысл жизни. (с) Ф.Достоевский

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fitrap, Indonesia

Giving is the new taking is a great quotes that i learn from Yoris Sebastian, and postcrossing make it happen in a real life

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