Still I’ll rise.
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.
History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.
One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.
You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.
The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind.
If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love.
Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.
Since time is the one immaterial object which we cannot influence neither speed up nor slow down add to nor diminish it is an imponderably valuable gift.
It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.
If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don’t be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning ‘Good morning’ at total strangers.
Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.
I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.
When you know better you do better.
Seek patience and passion in equal amounts. Patience alone will not build the temple. Passion alone will destroy its walls.
Forgiveness. It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody. You are relieved of carrying that burden of resentment. You really are lighter. You feel lighter. You just drop that.
You don’t need another person, place or thing to make you whole. God already did that. Your job is to know it.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear, I rise. Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear, I rise.
Every day I awaken I am grateful. My intent is to be totally present in that day. And laugh as much as possible.
If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you will look forward, do so prayerfully. But the wisest course would be to be present in the present gratefully.