A man without mirth is like wagon without springs, in which one is caused disagreeably to jolt by every pebble over which it turns.

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.

We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have traveled from the point where they started.

The Church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of imperfect ones.

Some men are like pyramids, which are very broad where they touch the ground, but grow narrow as they reach the sky.

As for marigolds, poppies, hollyhocks, and valorous sunflowers, we shall never have a garden without them, both for their own sake, and for the sake of old-fashioned folks, who used to love them.

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It's jolted by every pebble on the road.

The thistle is a prince. Let any man that has an eye for beauty take a view of the whole plant, and where will he see a more expressive grace and symmetry; and where is there a more kingly flower?

Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself.

He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has.

Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.

Never stop smiling not even when you're sad, someone might fall in love with your smile.

When ours are interrupted, his are not. His plans are proceeding exactly as scheduled, moving us always (including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable).

Love everybody and tell the truth.

History and experience tell us that moral progress comes not in comfortable and complacent times, but out of trial and confusion.

I went to national piano competitions and did that whole circuit. Then I played professionally to support myself when I moved out to LA.

There are three things you need to be a good writer: you need to read a lot, you need to write a lot, and you need a lot of feedback.

Some promises aren’t worth keeping.

Why is it that weeks and months and years go by so quickly, all in a blur, but moments last forever?

I came to the conclusion that there is an existential moment in your life when you must decide to speak for yourself; nobody else can speak for you.

When a private entity does not produce the desired results, it is (certain body parts excepted) done away with. But a public entity gets bigger.