Zelma’s Aphorisms: Old School Wisdom, Instructive, Inspirational, Hilarious, to Outrageous
by Maurice W. Dorsey

Zelma’s Aphorisms: Old-School Wisdom, Instructive, Inspirational, Hilarious to Outrageous

Zelma’s Aphorisms draws inspiration from the Book of Proverbs, the timeless book of wisdom for living. Within its teachings, one can find invaluable guidance on various aspects of life, including folly, sin, goodness, wealth, poverty, the tongue, pride, humility, justice, vengeance, strife, gluttony, love, lust, laziness, friends, family, life, and death. Every facet of human relationships is mentioned in the Book of Proverbs, and its teachings remain applicable to all individuals, transcending time and space.

For Zelma, the journey to creating her personal collection of sayings began shortly after her mother’s passing when she was only eight years old. Although her aphorisms may not possess the same refinement as the Bible, she cleverly developed a style that resonated with her younger sibling and, later, her own children. As a writer, I have personally lived by and been greatly influenced by my mother’s sayings. Some of these aphorisms are her own creations, while many were passed down from her father, husband, and even strangers she encountered.

One thing that may be missing for the reader is the inflection of her voice combined with the words. In certain instances, my mother had the charisma of a professional entertainer. However, within her family, she was known for being friendly, kind, generous, and full of love for everyone. She dutifully fulfilled her roles as a daughter, sister, wife, and mother. Born and raised in Washington, DC, she was a member of the Methodist Church, both in Washington, DC, and Bel Air, Maryland.