An aphorism is a short word or phrase that communicates an opinion or makes a wise comment without using flowery language like a proverb. An aphorism is derived from the Greek word for "definition." Hippocrates initially used the phrase in a treatise titled Aphorisms. Today, an aphorism is defined as a concise statement of truth or wisdom that can be repeated to communicate key ideas. Some examples of aphorisms are: "A man should look upon his face in the mirror every morning and say, 'I am happy to be alive today.' " - Aristotle "Happiness depends on what you think about. If you think you need something bigger and better all the time to make you happy, then you will never be happy. But if you trust in God and believe that he takes care of you, then you will always be happy." - Charles Swindoll "You cannot avoid pain forever/anywhere, anytime/anything. You can only escape it for a while by going back into it." - William Blake "We tend to overestimate what we will achieve in a day and underestimate how far we can travel by walking." - David J. Schwartz