One must either take an interest in the human situation or else parade before the void.

I condole with you, we have lost a most dear and valuable relation, but it is the will of God and Nature that these mortal bodies be laid aside, when the soul is to enter into real life; 'tis rather an embrio state, a preparation for living; a man is not completely born until he be dead: Why should we grieve that a new child is born among the immortals? A new member added to their happy society? We are spirits. That bodies should be lent us, while they can afford us pleasure, assist us in acquiring knowledge, or doing good to our fellow creatures, is a kind and benevolent act of God -- when they become unfit for these purposes and afford us pain rather than pleasure -- instead of an aid, become an incumbrance and answer none of the intentions for which they were given, it is equally kind and benevolent that a way is provided by which we may get rid of them. Death is that way. We ourselves prudently choose a partial death. In some cases a mangled painful limb, which cannot be restored, we willingly cut off -- He who plucks out a tooth, parts with it freely since the pain goes with it, and he that quits the whole body, parts at once with all pains and possibilities of pains and diseases it was liable to, or capable of making him suffer.Our friend and we are invited abroad on a party of pleasure -- that is to last forever -- His chair was first ready and he is gone before us -- we could not all conveniently start together, and why should you and I be grieved at this, since we are soon to follow, and we know where to find him.

Benjamin Franklin, Letter to Eli

Even in decline, a virtuous man increases the beauty of his behavior. A burning stick, though turned to the ground, has its flame drawn upwards.

Saskya Pandita

Either you think, or else others have to think for you and take power from you, pervert and discipline your natural tastes, civilize and sterilize you.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Time spent on hiring is time well spent.

Robert Half

If you have ever been in a real tragic or sad situation, the words that come out are hopelessly inadequate and kind of cliched.

Erika Slezak

The reason why so few people are agreeable in conversation is that each is thinking more about what he intends to say than others are saying.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

While I know that the beautiful, the spiritual and the sublime are suspect today, I have begun to stop resisting the constant urge to deny that beauty has a valid right to exist in contemporary art.

Ian Hornak, "Cover Magazine", 19

Lord, where we are wrong, make us willing to change where we are right, make us easy to live with.

Peter Marshall

Nothing endures but change.

Heraclitus

Rightly defined, philosophy is simply the love of wisdom.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

With music, you often don't have to translate it. It just affects you, and you don't know why.

David Byrne

If you want to be an actor, you have to do it because you love acting, not because you want to be a celebrity.

Alfonso Ribeiro