The most important part of teaching is to teach what it is to know.

Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.

We must not wish for the disappearance of our troubles but for the grace to transform them.

Pain and suffering are a kind of currency passed from hand to hand until they reach someone who receives them but does not pass them on.

There are only two things that pierce the human heart. One is beauty. The other is affliction.

If you want to know what a man is really like, take notice of how he acts when he loses money.

A hurtful act is the transference to others of the degradation which we bear in ourselves.

There is one, and only one, thing in modern society more hideous than crime namely, repressive justice.

The joy of learning is as indispensable in study as breathing is in running.

Equality is the public recognition, effectively expressed in institutions and manners, of the principle that an equal degree of attention is due to the needs of all human beings.

More than in any other performing arts the lack of respect for acting seems to spring from the fact that every layman considers himself a valid critic.

One of the extraordinary things about life is the sort of places it's prepared to put up with living.

Quin lay down next to me and buried his face in my neck. I felt everything hidden and heavy inside him collapse in my arms. His hot tears joined with mine."I need you.""I know, " I answered.

I am convinced that living in an enclave shapes the personality, and living alone shapes the personality too.

The origin of corruption in politics is surely in the thought that you are the bearer of ultimate virtue.

I don't think there's anybody in America who thinks my personality is best suited to being Number Two.

To some people everything is permitted.

Take care of yourself, and do unto others as you would have done to you.

One of the things that I'm really concerned about is that people who don't have power are not priorities for people in public life. Maybe it's always been that way, but I see it more starkly now.

It is frustrating having to walk through America having to bob and weave people's impressions of me because they see a tall, black guy walking down the street. That is frustrating.

The trouble is, I'm a terrible PR person.