“Morality is for everybody, and this means that the views of more than one person are needed to create it. That was what made the modern morality, with its emphasis on individuals and the working out of an individual position, so weak. If you gave people the chance to work out their morality, then they would work out the version which was easiest for them and which allowed them to do what suited them for as much of the time as possible. That, in Mma Ramotswe's view, was simple selfishness, whatever grand name one gave to it.”
“Morality is for everybody, and this means that the views of more than one person are needed to create it. That was what made the modern morality, with its emphasis on individuals and the working out of an individual position, so weak. If you gave people the chance to work out their morality, then they would work out the version which was easiest for them and which allowed them to do what suited them for as much of the time as possible. That, in Mma Ramotswe's view, was simple selfishness, whatever grand name one gave to it.”
Alexander McCall Smith
“What we have, we all must lose—that applied to everything, even to that which we thought we had the greatest right. We were tenants of this earth—nothing more.”
Alexander McCall Smith, At the Reunion Buffet“People don’t talk about mercy very much these days—it has a rather old-fashioned ring to it. but it exists and its power is quite extraordinary”
Alexander McCall Smith, At the Reunion Buffet“She had always understood that love could have an intense physical effect; could fill a space somewhere in the chest, could turn knees weak, could raise the pulse; could intoxicate, just as could a strong martini or a glass of champagne. Could, she thought, and would…but only if you allowed it, only if you opened whatever portals of the heart needed to be opened. And some people, of course, found it difficult to do that.”
Alexander McCall Smith, At the Reunion Buffet“…the world was a vale of tears—it always had been.”
Alexander McCall Smith, At the Reunion Buffet“I shall go and sit under a tree…. Which tree, Mma?... Oh, there are many trees in this life, she said. It does not matter which tree you choose, as long as you choose the right one.”
Alexander McCall Smith, The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine“Men, she thought, were odd about their clothes: they liked to wear the same things until they became defeated and threadbare.”
Alexander McCall Smith, The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine“Tolerance was like one of those soothing creams—it drew out inflammation, it did away with the pain.”
Alexander McCall Smith, At the Reunion Buffet“…there is faith and faith. One form of faith is actual practice—the rituals and so on—the other form of faith involves actually believing in it.”
Alexander McCall Smith, At the Reunion Buffet“There was a great deal of progress being made, right under their noses, particularly in Africa, and this progress was good. Life was much harder for tyrants than it had been before.”
Alexander McCall Smith, The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine“Can you forgive her? Can you do that?There was no response.Because if you can start to forgive, then it will become easier.And?And then you will be able to forgive yourself—and ask others to forgive you.”
Alexander McCall Smith, At the Reunion BuffetAll in One Creative & Marketing Platform to tell stories at scale
