“Americans are optimists. They hope they’ll be wealthy someday – and they’re positive they can get one more brushful of paint out of an empty can.”

Few things are as democratic as a snowstorm.

Few things move as quietly as the future.

We must escape our illusions of correctness to understand the actions and beliefs of others.

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.

We may pass violets looking for roses. We may pass contentment looking for victory.

If we try and fail, we have temporary disappointments. But if we do not try at all, we have permanent regrets.

The average man will bristle if you say his father was dishonest, but he will brag a little if he discovers that his great-grandfather was a Pirate.

Talent is a flame. Genius is a fire.

Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit.

It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream.

A half-truth is usually less than half of that.

We grow a little every time we do not take advantage of somebody’s weakness.

There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.

I like the word “indolence.” It makes my laziness seem classy.

Tranquility is like quicksilver. The harder you grab for it, the less likely you will grasp it.

Laziness has many disguises. Soon “winter doldrums” will become “spring fever.”

To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.

Optimism can keep a fool from accepting failure.

Well, you know, I’m the forever optimist.

Optimism is a perfectly legitimate response to failure.

Choose the positive. You have choice, you are master of your attitude, choose the positive, the constructive. Optimism is a faith that leads to success.

I meant to write about death, only life came breaking in as usual.