Post 68

I'm not sure who William Hazlitt is, but he said some pretty good stuff. My attention is drawn to him today because, according to Gmail, he said, "The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much," and it supposeth me that that is very true.

Well said, William.

I've been thinking about the phrase "Life is good."

Some definitions of good on the Web:

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified; "good news from the hospital"; "a good report card"; "when ...

full: having the normally expected amount; "gives full measure"; "gives good measure"; "a good mile from here"

morally admirable

estimable: deserving of esteem and respect; "all respectable companies give guarantees"; "ruined the family's good name"

beneficial: promoting or enhancing well-being; "an arms limitation agreement beneficial to all countries"; "the beneficial effects of a temperate climate"; "the experience was good for her"

agreeable or pleasing; "we all had a good time"; "good manners"

of moral excellence; "a genuinely good person"; "a just cause"; "an upright and respectable man"

adept: having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude; "adept in handicrafts"; "an adept juggler"; "an expert job"; "a good mechanic"; "a practiced marksman"; "a proficient engineer"; "a lesser-known but no less skillful composer"; "the effect was achieved by skillful retouching"

thorough; "had a good workout"; "gave the house a good cleaning"

dear: with or in a close or intimate relationship; "a good friend"; "my sisters and brothers are near and dear"

dependable: financially sound; "a good investment"; "a secure investment"

most suitable or right for a particular purpose; "a good time to plant tomatoes"; "the right time to act"; "the time is ripe for great sociological changes"

resulting favorably; "its a good thing that I wasn't there"; "it is good that you stayed"; "it is well that no one saw you"; "all's well that ends well"

effective: exerting force or influence; "the law is effective immediately"; "a warranty good for two years"; "the law is already in effect (or in force)"

capable of pleasing; "good looks"

appealing to the mind; "good music"; "a serious book"

in excellent physical condition; "good teeth"; "I still have one good leg"; "a sound mind in a sound body"

beneficial: tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health; "beneficial effects of a balanced diet"; "a good night's sleep"; "the salutary influence of pure air"

benefit; "for your own good"; "what's the good of worrying?"

moral excellence or admirableness; "there is much good to be found in people"

not forged; "a good dollar bill"

not left to spoil; "the meat is still good"

well: (often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (`good' is a nonstandard dialectal variant for `well'); "the children behaved well"; "a task well done"; "the party went well"; "he slept well"; "a well-argued thesis"; "a well-seasoned dish ...

that which is pleasing or valuable or useful; "weigh the good against the bad"; "among the highest goods of all are happiness and self-realization"

commodity: articles of commerce

generally admired; "good taste"

thoroughly: in a complete and thorough manner (`good' is sometimes used informally for `thoroughly'); "he was soundly defeated"; "we beat him good"

I think life, then--the state of being alive--I think it certainly qualifies as "good" regardless of the ebb and flow of its enjoyability.