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A thousand year a poor man watched Before the gate of Paradise: But while one little nap he snatched, It oped and shut. Ah! was he wise?

There is an hour in each man's life appointed To make his happiness, if then he seize it.

Observe the opportunity.

Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.

This could but have happened once, And we missed it, lost it forever.

He that will not when he may, When he will he shall have nay.

Let nothing pass which will advantage you; Hairy in front, Occasion's bald behind.

There is a nick in Fortune's restless wheel For each man's good.

Holding occasion by the hand, Not over nice 'twixt weed and flower, Waiving what none can understand, I make mine hour.

Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.

Who lets slip fortune, her shall never find: Occasion once past by, is bald behind.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

"Oh, ship ahoy!" rang out the cry; "Oh, give us water or we die!" A voice came o'er the waters far, "Just drop your bucket where you are." And then they dipped and drank their fill Of water fresh from mead and hill; And then they knew they sailed upon The broad mouth of the Amazon.

Seek not for fresher founts afar, Just drop your bucket where you are; And while the ship right onward leaps, Uplift it from the exhaustless deeps. Parch not your life with dry despair; The stream of hope flow everywhere-- So under every sky and star, Just drop your bucket where you are.

Yet he who grasps the moment's gift, He is the proper man.

Man's extremity is God's opportunity.

I beseech you not to blame me if I be desirous to strike while the iron is hot.

Let us seize, friends, our opportunity from the day as it passes.

The actual fact is that in this day Opportunity not only knocks at your door but is playing an anvil chorus on every man's door, and then lays for the owner around the corner with a club. The world is in sore need of men who can do things. Indeed, cases can easily be recalled by every one where Opportunity actually smashed in the door and collared her candidate and dragged him forth to success. These cases are exceptional, usually you have to meet Opportunity half-way. But the only place where you can get away from Opportunity is to lie down and die. Opportunity does not trouble dead men, or dead ones who flatter themselves that they are alive.

I knock unbidden once at every gate-- If sleeping, wake--if feasting, rise before I turn away--it is the hour of fate, And they who follow me reach every state Mortals desire, and conquer every foe Save death, but those who doubt of hesitate, Condemned to failure, penury and woe, Seek me in vain and uselessly implore, I answer not, and I return no more.