If we are true, if we can love, if we have vision, if we can have courage, we can, we should, we ought to, we will.
BEN OKRI
BEN OKRI
Ben Okri on should
Ben Okri79 quotes“If we are true, if we can love, if we have vision, if we can have courage, we can, we should, we ought to, we will.”
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I lived rough, by my wits, was homeless, lived on the streets, lived on friends’ floors, was happy, was miserable.
Ben OkriBen Okri Success will never confuse you of scatter your spirit, but will make you fly higher into the good sunlight. Your life will always surprise you.
Ben OkriBen Okri The worst realities of our age are manufactured realities. It is therefore our task, as creative participants in the universe, to re dream our world. The fact of possessing imagination means that everything can be re dreamed. Each reality can have it
Ben OkriBen Okri Magic becomes art when it has nothing to hide.
Ben OkriBen Okri Don’t neglect the gold in your own back yard.
Ben OkriBen Okri What hope is there for individual reality or authenticity when the forces of violence and orthodoxy, the earthly powers of guns and bombs and manipulated public opinion make it impossible for us to be authentic and fulfilled human beings?
Ben OkriBen Okri I know that human beings are capable of anything.
Ben OkriBen Okri You are a mischievous one. You will cause no end of trouble. You have to travel many roads before you find the river of your destiny. This life of yours will be full of riddles. You will be protected and you will never be alone.
Ben OkriBen Okri I’m conscious of a series of circles working its way through my life. And at this particular moment I have come round to the beginning of my writing cycle. It begins with poetry. There’s hardly a day that goes past on which I don’t write poetry.
Ben OkriBen Okri I learned that life will go through changes – up and down and up again. It’s what life does.
Ben OkriBen Okri This earth that we live on is full of stories in the same way that, for a fish, the ocean is full of ocean. Some people say when we are born we’re born into stories. I say we’re also born from stories.
Ben OkriBen Okri Destiny plans a different route and fulfills the dream in ways we couldn’t have expected.
Ben OkriBen Okri People are as healthy and confident as the stories they tell themselves.
Ben OkriBen Okri Don’t despair too much if you see beautiful things destroyed, if you see them perish. Because the best things are always growing in secret.
Ben OkriBen Okri Wholeness is the enemy of the artist. We ought to be broken, ruined in some way.
Ben OkriBen Okri If you are working in an office, where do you find the time to write a novel? But you can finish a short story in five pages. Furthermore, a short story is a perfect place to learn the craft
Ben OkriBen Okri
Original quotes
From our community writers
Poetry is the voice of the soul and the inspiration of the heart.
Teresa PeresTeresa Peres But it was now time for her to go away-to find someone who could show her what happiness was.
Lang LeavLang Leav Just because you haven’t seen how wonderful, beautiful, and special she is, doesn’t mean no one else will.
Norah RoseNorah Rose A memory is a star or a stain.
Aneena BijuAneena Biju Love her, but don’t forget to leave her wild.
Little PaulsonLittle Paulson Do your own thing and live your way of happiness.
Emily BockEmily Bock I’ve experienced departure far too much to have the courage and call anyone my own.
Mira R. AridiMira R. Aridi More often than I am not, all I need is the rise of my own lungs – I am already complete.
Shelby EnsignShelby Ensign
Meet the writers
More on should
What should be the aim of management? What is their job?
W. Edwards DemingW. Edwards Deming The emphasis should be on why we do a job.
W. Edwards DemingW. Edwards Deming Any artist should be grateful for a naive grace which puts him beyond the need to reason elaborately.
Saul BellowSaul Bellow Golf really is the best microcosm of life – or at least the way life should be.
Lou HoltzLou Holtz You should be afraid if you are in the ocean and don’t see sharks.
Sylvia EarleSylvia Earle You should never get away from where the real foundation of Formula One has been, which is Europe.
Mario AndrettiMario Andretti You should not ask questions without knowledge.
W. Edwards DemingW. Edwards Deming It should be noted that children at play are not playing about; their games should be seen as their most serious-minded activity.
Michel de MontaigneMichel de Montaigne