The following are some important things that I have thought of over the years that seemed valid to me. I will come back and add more to this list, if I think of any more that I feel deserve to be here. Some of these are existing proverbs that I have expanded or reinterpreted, and others are my own philosophy.

1. The complete truth is always more complicated.
2. The most reliable vow is the one that isn’t necessary. Trusting a man’s character, his nature, is better than trusting his word; but having both is better still.
3. All riddles are easy when you know the answer. Hindsight does not equate to foresight.
4. Because of taxes, a penny saved is actually worth more than a penny earned.
5. Emotions (both good & bad) impair judgment proportional to their strength.
6. Desperation substitutes for evidence; claims are more convincing when you want them to be true.
7. You will never again be as young as you are right now. Everyone thinks they have more time, until it’s too late.
8. They say that time heals all wounds, but time alone doesn’t heal anything. Many causes heal many things, but all acts of healing require time.
9. “It is easy to be brave behind a castle wall.” –Welsh Proverb
   Negative Interpretation:
   Courage abounds when risk is scarce. It is easier to slay a dragon with boasting, than with a sword.
   Positive Interpretation:
   The {abundant-preparation & genuine-security} that nullifies dangers is more powerful than the courage to fight those dangers.
10. A dragon in the valley streets is more terrifying than 10 dragons in the mountains. A tangible threat at hand feels more real than the warnings of one you can’t see.
11. The demon of {mind & shadows} draws its power from obscurity. The imagined monster hidden in the darkness is the manifestation of fear itself, and its dread is only surpassed by the inescapable recognition of imminent painful death.
12. The {strongest & most-effective} armor is peace; but unrelenting pacifism is a noose around your neck.
13. Experience is calibrated knowledge.
14. Tradition is the accumulated wisdom of your ancestors.
15. The ends do not justify any means, but they DO justify proportionate means.
16. Don’t get so caught up on the destination, that you miss out on the journey.
17. It is much easier to forgive a past wrong, when you no longer suffer its harm.
18. To the parched soul lost in the desert, the highest virtue is water.
19. When {stress, anxiety, or pain} loom from a pending task, procrastination only prolongs your suffering.
20. A broken clock may only be right twice per day, but a perfectly functioning clock that is wrong, is never right.
21. Politeness in the extreme, where one conceals even the appearance of discomfort or annoyance, becomes a form of dishonesty & deception.
22. With sufficient discernment, even lies can be a source of truth. Why someone is lying, what they’re trying to conceal, and what they choose to conceal it with, can often reveal deeper information than if they had told the truth.
23. You will never find the answer, if you’re asking the wrong question.

Honorable Mentions

Quotes without the need for extension or reinterpretation.

“The law is only a defense against those who agree to be bound by it.“
-Thane Krios (Mass Effect)

“Superstition is a respect for the unknown.“
– Alex Jones