I started to collect them. They express universal truths in just a few words, easily remembered, and they strengthen our ties to our own culture by reminding us where we came from. These verbal treasures help to give a culture its richness. Dichos are more honest, accurate and wise than any one of us because they have travelled through the soothing whisperings of years. They can be relished, memorised, quoted in Spanish and English, tested on friends, and finally evaluated in one's own life.
Proverbs are like gospel teachings.
Like the church, Dichos offer a sort of sanctuary, a place we can always return to. Perhaps that's why they maintain such a strong hold on us throughout life. Mexican dichos are commonly used in the home by parents. Fathers can have one for every occasion. A Mexican friend told me that his mother and grandmother used them to emphasise an important point they felt they were not qualified to talk about on their own.