Great Quotations

"I have often wished that Jefferson had not used that phrase 'the pursuit of happiness' as the third right ... I would rather he had written, 'life, liberty and the pursuit of meaningfulness' or 'integrity' or 'truth.' I know that happiness has been the real, if covert, goal of your labors here. I know that it informs your choice of companions, the profession you will enter. But I urge you, please do not settle for happiness. It's not good enough. Personal success devoid of meaningfulness, free of a steady commitment to social justice -- that's more than a barren life; it's a trivial one. It's looking good instead of doing good.''  - Toni Morrison, from a commencement speech at Rutgers University


"I'm not responsible for what people think, Pat, only for what I am."
-from The Big Country, James McKay (Gregory Peck) to Julie Maragon (Jean Simmons)


"Talent is nothing without focus and endurance." -Haruki Murakami