True happiness ... arises in the first place from the enjoyment of one's self and in the next from the friendship and conversation of a few select companions.

The greatest sweetener of human life is Friendship.

What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.

I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs.

If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius.

Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health and is as friendly to the mind as to the body.

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.

Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week.

No one is more cherished in this world than someone who lightens the burden of another. Thank you.

The voice of reason is more to be regarded than the bent of any present inclination; since inclination will at length come over to reason, though we can never force reason to comply with inclination.

Ridicule is generally made use of to laugh men out of virtue and good sense, by attacking everything praiseworthy in human life.

Invest money and you'll get a check. Invest in people and you'll get time.

Looking for who I am is who I am.

A lifelong movie I already knew the ending to

She was strong and stubborn but loving. She was an untouchable angel with a devil’s mark. She was beautiful.

There have not been any troughs as regards my work. There's never been a trough of my assurance.

The avant-garde is to the left what jingoism is to the right. Both are a refuge in nonsense.

My counsel is, that we draw water from the true source and fountain, that is, that we diligently search the Scriptures. He who wholly possesses the text of the Bible, is a consummate divine.

I am in Toronto, shooting a movie for NBC.

I think in this country [UK] we could do with rather less political correctness and more straight talking across the board.

I was at a benefit for some imprisoned students in the '60s at San Francisco State, and there were lots of poets reading for the benefit: one was Elizabeth Bishop.