Falling out of love is like losing weight. It's a lot easier putting it on than taking it off.

We all require and want respect, man or woman, black or white. It's our basic human right.

Be your own artist, and always be confident in what youre doing. If youre not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it.

Soul is a constant. It's cultural. It's always going to be there, in different flavors and degrees.

I'm a big woman. I need big hair.

If you disrespect everybody that you run into, how in the world do you think everybody's supposed to respect you?

People really don't have to give you anything, so appreciate what people give you. And just don't let that go to your head, whatever it is they give you.

Don't say Aretha is making a comeback, because I've never been away!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.

My faith always has been and always will be important to me.

Better friends than lovers. Sugar can't you see? You need you and I really need me.

No more good must be attempted than the nation can bear

Inside, each of us has a purple motorcycle.

You know, a lot of those angry sort of Southern man characters that I've been doing are based on different people I might've had as, like, a soccer coach or as a teacher.

I admire people who are suited to the contemplative life. They can sit inside themselves like honey in a jar and just be.

War is a fevered god who takes alike maiden and king and clod.

Imprudence relies on luck, prudence on method. That gives prudence less edge than it expects.

Whatever binds us most, whatever is dearest to us, that is what we should offer the Lord. Doesn't a mother give her child whatever she thinks is the best?

I doubt evolution is real.

The millionaires are a product of natural selection ... the naturally selected agents of society for certain work. They get high wages and live in luxury, but the bargain is a good one for society.