A man should be able to hear, and to bear, the worst that could be said of him.
—Saul Bellow (Canadian-born American Novelist)
Homesickness is… absolutely nothing. Fifty percent of the people in the world are homesick all the time… You don’t really long for another country. You long for something in yourself that you don’t have, or haven’t been able to find.
—John Cheever (American Novelist)
My main point today is that usually one gets what one expects, but very rarely in the way one expected it.
—Charles F. Richter (American Physicist, Geologist)
That’s how it is sometimes when we plunge into the depths of our lives. No one can accompany us, not even those who would give up their hearts for our happiness.
—Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (Indian-born American Novelist)
In order to acquire intellect one must need it. One loses it when it is no longer necessary.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (German Philosopher, Scholar)
Humanity is not the last rung of the terrestrial creation. Evolution continues and man will be surpassed. It is for each individual to know whether he wants to participate in the advent of this new species.
—Mirra Alfassa (French-Born Indian Spiritual Guru)
All my life I believed I knew something. But then one strange day came when I realized that I knew nothing; yes, I knew nothing. And so words became void of meaning. I have arrived too late at ultimate uncertainty.
—Ezra Pound (American Poet, Critic)
Truth is best (of all that is) good. As desired, what is being desired is truth for him who (represents) the best truth.
—Zoroaster (Persian Religious Leader, Prophet)
Above all, don’t lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lies comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, around him, and so loses all respect for himself and others.
—Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Russian Novelist)
If a man does not have an ideal and try to live up to it, then he becomes a mean, base and sordid creature, no matter how successful.
—Theodore Roosevelt (American Head of State)
Religion is the possibility of the removal of every ground of confidence except confidence in God alone.
—Karl Barth (Swiss Protestant Theologian)
We all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace.
—Pope Francis (Religious Leader)
Friendships aren’t perfect and yet they are very precious. For me, not expecting perfection all in one place was a great release.
—Letty Cottin Pogrebin (American Writer)