“You have strengths and weaknesses, and you do things right and you do things wrong. You sin, just as everyone else does. And sin is sin, despite its nature or magnitude. Regardless of how hard we try, none of us will ever be completely perfect in this life, but not being perfect at everything we do does not mean we have no worth or value. You are special—unique—and that means there is only one like you, imperfections and all.”

“Forgivness is letting go of the hope that the past can be changed”

“Paul looked down at the hand that had known pain, and then up to the Reverend Mother. The sound of her voice contained a difference than from any other voicing his experience. The words were outlined in brilliance. There was an edge to them.”

“they’d chosen always the clear, safe course that leads ever downward into stagnation.”

“La habilidad de hacer la pregunta correcta le da la mitad de la victoria en la batalla por encontrar la respuesta”

“Think “tomorrow.” Make today’s efforts pay off tomorrow. Free the imagination. You are capable of more than you can imagine—so imagine the ultimate. Strive for lasting quality. “Good enough” never is. Have “stick-to-it-ivity.” Never, never, never give up. Have fun. You’re never truly a success until you enjoy what you are doing.”

“Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.”

“Most people have heard of Mahatma Gandhi, the man who led India to independence from British rule. His life has been memorialized in books and film, and he is regarded as one of the great men in history. But did you know Gandhi did not start out as a great hero? He was born into a middle-class family. He had low self-esteem, and that made him reluctant to interact with others. He wasn’t a very good student, either, and he struggled just to finish high school. His first attempt at higher education ended in five months. His parents decided to send him to England to finish his education, hoping the new environment would motivate him. Gandhi became a lawyer. The problem when he returned to India was that he didn’t know much about Indian law and had trouble finding clients. So he migrated to South Africa and got a job as a clerk. Gandhi’s life changed one day while riding on a train in South Africa in the first-class section. Because of his dark skin, he was forced to move to a freight car. He refused, and they kicked him off the train. It was then he realized he was afraid of challenging authority, but that he suddenly wanted to help others overcome discrimination if he could. He created a new vision for himself that had value and purpose. He saw value in helping people free themselves from discrimination and injustice. He discovered purpose in life where none had existed previously, and that sense of purpose pulled him forward and motivated him to do what best-selling author and motivational speaker Andy Andrews calls “persist without exception.” His purpose and value turned him into the winner he was born to be,” 

“Live simply so others may simply live.”

“Disease increases in proportion to the increase in the number of doctors in a place.”

“El plan Daniel sea distinto a otros métodos. Está construido sobre el poder de Dios para ayudarte a cambiar, no solamente sobre tu propia fuerza de voluntad. Seamos sinceros. La fuerza de voluntad funciona durante unas semanas, o quizá durante un mes o dos como mucho. Por eso los propósitos de Año Nuevo nunca duran. Intentar cambiar solo con la fuerza de voluntad es agotador. Puedes mantenerlo un tiempo, pero se siente artificial y estresante obligarte a ser distinto simplemente con la fuerza de voluntad.”

“If we no longer talk freely and openly about faith, we won’t understand the language or the significance of faith, we’ll misinterpret the religious words and deeds of others, and we’ll underestimate the power faith can have in the lives of those deeply committed to their spiritual beliefs. This may present a serious risk to a generation whose most troubling conflicts promise to involve people who are primarily motivated by a very different faith. If we don’t understand the faith roots of our American culture, how will we be able to defend it against theirs?”

“The day of the “go-getter” has passed. He has been supplanted by the “go-giver.”

“Be the change you want to see in the world”

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”