Remembrance and reflection how allied. What thin partitions divides sense from thought.

Conscience is a mother-in-law whose visit never ends.

Silence is golden when you can’t think of a good answer.

It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgment.

Mozart’s music is so pure and beautiful that I see it as a reflection of the inner beauty of the universe.

The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.

Everyone now knows how to find the meaning of life within himself. But mankind wasn’t always so lucky. Less than a century ago, men and women did not have easy access to the puzzle boxes within them.

I don’t want to be too critical of what other people do, but when people go back to do the same thing that they did, I’m completely confused. I’m like, ‚Didn’t you make that movie already?‘ I’ve been very fortunate, and I’m well taken care of, so the least I can do is try to go forward.

It seems, in fact, as though the second half of a man’s life is made up of nothing, but the habits he has accumulated during the first half.

Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense.

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.

Religion is the frozen thought of man out of which they build temples.

But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.

One who does not know when to die, does not know how to live.

A tomb now suffices him for whom the whole world was not sufficient.

Old age is just a record of one’s whole life.

Only one thing is impossible for God: To find any sense in any copyright law on the planet.

Culture: the cry of men in face of their destiny.

Thought is the parent of the deed.

Genius creates, and taste preserves. Taste is the good sense of genius; without taste, genius is only sublime folly.

I don’t know how much longer I’ll be around. I’ll probably be writing when the Lord says, ‚Maya, Maya Angelou, it’s time.‘

It’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.

No art can be noble which is incapable of expressing thought, and no art is capable of expressing thought which does not change.

When I die, and people realize that I will not be resurrected in three days, they will forget me. That is the way it should be.

I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made.

Play not with paradoxes. That caustic which you handle in order to scorch others may happen to sear your own fingers and make them dead to the quality of things.

The mind of the painter must resemble a mirror, which always takes the colour of the object it reflects and is completely occupied by the images of as many objects as are in front of it.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.

One can find so many pains when the rain is falling.

There is a fine balance between honoring the past and losing yourself in it. For example, you can acknowledge and learn from mistakes you made, and then move on and refocus on the now. It is called forgiving yourself.

The devastating punch we took on September 11th still reverberates throughout American society.

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.

Sweet is the memory of past troubles.

I do sometimes look back at things I’ve written in the past, and think, ‚I just don’t remember being the person who wrote that.‘

‚Thursday‘ is a conceptual album. Whatever that situation was, I spent the whole album focusing on that situation.

Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.

I think that all things, in their way, reflect heavenly truth, the imagination not least.

Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and accustom thyself to consider that the nature of the Universe loves nothing so much as to change the things which are, and to make new things like them.

Despair is the conclusion of fools.

The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation.

You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.

It is, generally, in the season of prosperity that men discover their real temper, principles, and designs.

After the chaos and carnage of September 11th, it is not enough to serve our enemies with legal papers.

It is true that going out on to the street implies the risk of accidents happening, as they would to any ordinary man or woman. But if the church stays wrapped up in itself, it will age. And if I had to choose between a wounded church that goes out on to the streets and a sick, withdrawn church, I would definitely choose the first one.

It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It’s called living.

People are more aware now of cities and of different ways of life. I suppose the writing I do is a bit in the past, and I’m not sure it’s the kind of writing I would do if I were starting now.

This isn’t life in the fast lane, it’s life in the oncoming traffic.

To walk through the ruined cities of Germany is to feel an actual doubt about the continuity of civilization.

Faith must trample under foot all reason, sense, and understanding.

Without stirring abroad, One can know the whole world; Without looking out of the window One can see the way of heaven. The further one goes The less one knows.

Philosophy begins in wonder.

To some extent I liken slavery to death.

The virtues are lost in self-interest as rivers are lost in the sea.

I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.

I remember when I first came to Washington. For the first six months you wonder how the hell you ever got here. For the next six months you wonder how the hell the rest of them ever got here.

When I look back on what I did for the Left, I’m in a small way quite proud of some of it – I only wish I’d done more.

We are always doing something for posterity, but I would fain see posterity do something for us.

Fortitude is the marshal of thought, the armor of the will, and the fort of reason.

You hesitate to stab me with a word, and know not – silence is the sharper sword.