For who, to dumb forgetfulness a prey, This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd, Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day, Nor cast one longing ling'ring look behind?

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea, The ploughman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

I shall be but a shrimp of an author.

Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms.

Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.

If the best man's faults were written on his forehead, he would draw his hat over his eyes.

Dear as the light that visits these sad eyes, Dear as the ruddy drops that warm my heart.

Visions of glory, spare my aching sight! Ye unborn ages, crowd not on my soul!

Men will believe anything at all provided they are under no obligation to believe it.

To each his suff'rings: all are men, / Condemn'd alike to groan, / The tender for another's pain; / Th' unfeeling for his own.

Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise.

People will say, "there's heaven and hell", and they take it so serious that they look so sorrowful with penitence. I would rather ask them to show me the route that leads to heaven or hell.

Hope is a positive-affirmation.

You have to make mistakes to find out who you aren't. You take the action, and the insight follows: You don't think your way into becoming yourself.

Stop battling with yourself. Be kind to yourself.

Aledo will always be home to me because I spent the first 27 years of my life there - it's such a special place - and because of the experiences I had there, I've become the person I am today.

We need to EARN the right to be leaders. It is to our peril when we are given things for which we are not qualified. For Believers, we must only engage in activities for which the Lord has called us.

When Gwyneth Paltrow wore a dress of ours, that was probably our number one best seller besides when the lovely Mrs. [Michelle] Obama wore our dress.

We teach reading, writing and math by [having students do] them. But we teach democracy by lecture.

We all fail to appreciate each day just how much we already possess. Light, air, freedom, the companionship of friends.

Love is more than a noun-it is a verb; it is more than a feeling-it is caring, sharing, helping, sacrificing.