“I think America is still a bright, shining city on the hill – not because we’re perfect but because we struggle in our imperfections every day.”

Differences can be a strength.

Every life is worthy and every life is capable of greatness. We have an obligation to make sure that opportunity for greatness is there.

Democracy is the most realistic way for diverse peoples to resolve their differences, and share power, and heal social divisions without violence or repression.

You will make a difference in the world, but not immediately. Your first obligation is to find something you like doing, because if you like doing it, you’ll do it well.

Self esteem comes from achievements. Not from lax standards and false praise.

People want to psychoanalyze me, but the fact is, I’m not that complicated. I’m pretty straightforward. And I’m not all that self-reflective, because I tend to be a doer.

So I think, if September 11 taught us anything, it taught us that we’re vulnerable, and vulnerable in ways that we didn’t fully understand.

It’s bad policy to speculate on what you’ll do if a plan fails when you’re trying to make a plan work.

When diplomacy has been exhausted, the Security Council must become involved. Questions about Iran’s nuclear activities remain unanswered, despite repeated efforts by the IAEA.

I firmly believe you never should spend your time being the former anything.

History’s long arc is different than the today’s headlines.

In America, with education and hard work, it really does not matter where you came from; it matters only where you are going.

The quicker we get about the business of reducing our reliance on oil the better.

Every life is capable of greatness.

The best armor against everything around you is to be well educated, to work hard, to be twice as good as if you had to be, to do languages and culture better.

You can never ask others to do something you would not do. That is integrity.

The lamp burns bright when wick and oil are clean.

The shadows of our own desires stand between us and our better angels, and thus their brightness is eclipsed.

Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars.

I survived because the fire I have inside me burns brighter than the fire that surrounds me forever thriving with blazing vitality.

To shine your brightest light is to be who you truly are.

Once you realize you deserve a bright future, letting go of your dark past is the best choice you will ever make.

Despite knowing they won’t be here for long they still choose to live their brightest lives- sunflowers.

Remembrance, like a candle, burns brightest at Christmas time.