People forget that Mozart wrote for commissions. There's a thing in psychology where they think if it's popular, it can't be serious.

My philosophy is: It's none of my business what people say of me and think of me. I am what I am, and I do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. And it makes life so much easier.

We are dying from overthinking. We are slowly killing ourselves by thinking about everything. Think. Think. Think. You can never trust the human mind anyway. It's a death trap.

Life's too short to deal with other people's insecurities.

No expectations. Ask nothing, expect nothing and accept everything, and life is very well.

A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.

I don't believe in nepotism. I don't much like the idea of parents who interfere.

Relish everything that's inside of you, the imperfections, the darkness, the richness and light and everything. And that makes for a full life.

The whole point of courage, to overcome your fear. That's the interesting thing, when courage bleeds through the fear.

I always liked to take the plunge, you know, I'd jump in at the deep end and hope that I'd find land somehow, or hope I'd float or survive. That's more or less the way I've gone through my life.

You're not more than one generation from poor white trash, are you, Agent Starling?

In with the new, out with the old.’ That’s what we’re told. We have to change, adapt, compromise.

Why people wanted to dance whenever it got dark was beyond him. Somehow, the two seemed to go together, like bees and flowers, or flies and dung. Darkness and dancing.

Be unselfish.... If you think of yourself only you cannot develop because you are choking the source of development which is spiritual expansion through thought for others.

Both of my parents would say they were atheists, so where I inherited my connection to God I don't know. But it's natural. No Bible, no Torah, just the love religion.

Basically my wife was immature. I'd be at home in the bath and she'd come in and sink my boats.

Country Music is great music because it really comes from real life experiences. It is such a great haven for reality.

Nothing is more important for mature Christian discipleship than a fresh, clear, true vision of the authentic Jesus.

In a country this large and a language even larger ... there ought to be a living for somebody who cares and wants to entertain and instruct a reader.

Living with golden fantasies of an endlessly nurtured infancy can be a neurotic refusal to grow up.

For me going out to party never meant drinking or taking drugs.