Quote of the Day: Desiderius Erasmus on Daily Inspiration

Late August has a particular kind of light: summer’s heat is still here, but the calendar starts whispering “reset.” It’s a season that invites honest inventory, of habits, of relationships, of the stories we tell ourselves about other people. Into that in-between mood lands a line that’s been repeated for centuries: “Women, can't live with them, can't live without them.”

On its surface, it reads like a shrug dressed up as humor, frustration on one side, dependency on the other. But the deeper lesson isn’t about scoring points in the endless gender debate. It’s about what happens when we outsource our emotional skills to stereotypes. “Can’t live with them” is often code for “I haven’t learned how to communicate, negotiate, or share power.” “Can’t live without them” can become “I want closeness, but I’m afraid of the vulnerability it requires.”

Use the quote as a mirror, not a verdict. When you feel that familiar push-pull in any relationship, romantic, professional, familial, name the specific friction. Is it unmet expectations, unclear boundaries, unspoken resentment, or fear of being seen? Then act with agency: replace vague complaints with one clear request, and replace mind-reading with one curious question. That’s how love becomes a practice, and how humor becomes kindness instead of a weapon.

Desiderius Erasmus earned his authority by challenging lazy thinking in an age of rigid roles, producing influential humanist scholarship and sharp social critique that pushed Europe toward clearer reasoning and deeper moral reflection.

Today, try one small repair: send a message to a woman in your life, partner, colleague, friend, mentor, thanking her for one concrete contribution, then ask, “What’s one thing I could do that would make working/living with me easier this week?” May your candor be gentle and your gentleness be brave.