“No matter how long a log floats on the river, it will never become a crocodile.”
However long you spend somewhere, you cannot become what you fundamentally are not; stay true to your real nature.
— Traditional Mali Wisdom, Mali
Source: Traditional Mali proverb, public-domain oral tradition
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Little by little, the bird builds its nest.
Patient, steady effort accumulates into something substantial over time.
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Everyone's time of rising is their morning.
Each person has their own pace and season for success; do not measure yourself against another's timeline.
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Distance from people makes relations pleasing.
A little distance can keep relationships sweet; too much closeness can wear a bond thin.
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An empty sack doesn't stand.
Without real substance behind it, a thing or a person cannot hold themselves up.
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Beware of the goat that is in the lion's lair.
Danger can hide inside something that looks safe or familiar; stay watchful.
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If the hare is your enemy, admit that he can run fast.
Give your rival honest credit for their real strengths, even if you dislike them.
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