If rocks did not persevere under heat and pressure, they would never become diamonds.

A genuine smile is one of the world’s rarest treasures.

A fish that is afraid of drowning in a river is ignorant of its gifts.

A diamond earns its sparkle from the pressure it endures.

It is in the storm, not the calm, that a rainbow is born.

A determined seed cannot be hidden from the world, not even by dirt.

Calm skies don't make skillful eagles.

If you cry in the rain, only the sky will see your tears.

Birds keep singing beautiful songs, even if they have no audience.

Today's storms help you appreciate tomorrow’s sunshine.

Train the ears to hear more, the eyes to see more, the hands to do more, the feet to accomplish more, the mind to think more, the heart to feel more, and the soul to love more.

In the songs I can still be really really direct but in interviews when I'm explaining my songs I shouldn't be so direct about who they're about.

I really am happy that I met my agency and my management company, because they see me as a person and not just a Latin woman.

Please hear this: There are not ‘schizophrenics,’ there are people with schizophrenia.

When I think about my new CD, the word 'joy' comes to mind. I sincerely hope that each listener will feel the earth, spirit, and aggressive creativity emanating from this album.

So many people mentioned this at these rallies. You go to these things and it's kind of like an oldies concert. I mean, it's not hostile.

Transsexualism is, basically, just another, more drastic twist on the male menopause.

We always think of our own profit, but not in connection to others.

I'm suspicious of full-replacement programs - that is, pronouncements that one way of doing something will entirely supplant another, and that in fact we have to hurry the replacement along.

I prefer doing interviews where people don't have to interpret what you say. I'm going to be real honest.

The difference between film and theater is that in film, an actor is sort of under a magnifying glass and everything that they do, just the smallest movement, is very detectible.