In America there is not one single element of civilization that is not made to depend, in the end, upon public opinion.

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.

Remember it all, every insult, every tear. Tattoo it on the inside of your mind. In life, knowledge of poisons is essential. I've told you, nobody becomes an artist unless they have to.

Liberalism itself has failed, and for a pretty good reason. It has been too often compromised by the people who represented it.

We know how to work hard. We know how to go for the goal. We know how to achieve, achieve, achieve but we don’t know how to enjoy the journey.

Life is a narrative that you have a hand in writing.

The key is to embrace disruption and change early. Don't react to it decades later. You can't fight innovation.

I would write light entertainment nonfiction pieces during the day, then come home and work on my fantasy fiction. It was very difficult to get out of the one mindset and into another one.

Heaven is for those who think of it.

An undisturbed river is as perfect as we will ever know, every refractive slide of cold water a glimpse of eternity.

I would just as soon listen to a gangster lecture on honesty as watch Hollywood portray the Bible.

It's strange because a lot of people are like, 'You can't change human nature-people are inherently negative.' I don't think that's true. If you expect the best from people, they'll step up.