Men are not put into this world to be everlastingly played on by the harping fingers of joy.

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.

People are afraid of knowledge that is not yet theirs.

She did what she could for him. She kissed him in return. She lost her breath and both her hearts, and finally Turned to smoke and back.

I believe in spirits. I believe in faith. I believe in spirituality. I believe in aliens as well.

It's deeply humbling to realize that there is no such thing as a society with a purchase on truth.

If America is to succeed in responding to these 21st Century challenges, our political system cannot continue to bog down in the mire of partisan gamesmanship.

If you do not pray, everything can disappoint you by going wrong. If you do pray, everything can still go wrong, but not in a way that will disappoint you.

I monitor haters' comments. I am aware of vicious rumors, but I am not afraid anymore.

I achieved what I want to achieve and I want to continue doing something else.

When the stomach is full, it is easy to talk of fasting.

You cannot have victory without conflict.