“Religion is like a knife: you can either use it to cut bread, or stick in someone’s back.”

We do not heal in isolation. When we reach out and connect with one another—when we tell the story, name the hurt, grant forgiveness, and renew or release the relationship—our suffering begins to transform.

Though wrong gratifies in the moment, good yields its gifts over a lifetime.

Like when you sit in front of a fire in winter – you are just there in front of the fire. You don’t have to be smart or anything. The fire warms you.

Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need for one another.

You show your humanity by how you see yourself not as apart from others but from your connection to others.

Language is very powerful. Language does not just describe reality. Language creates the reality it describes.

Out of the cacophony of random suffering and chaos that can mark human life, the life artist sees or creates a symphony of meaning and order.

When we see others as separate, they become a threat. When we see others as part of us, as connected, as interdependent, then there is no challenge we cannot face—together.

When we see others as the enemy, we risk becoming what we hate. When we oppress others, we end up oppressing ourselves. All of our humanity is dependent upon recognizing the humanity in others.

There is nothing more difficult than waking someone who is only pretending to be asleep.

It is through weakness and vulnerability that most of us learn empathy and compassion and discover our soul.

Discovering more joy does not, save us from the inevitability of hardship and heartbreak.

Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.

We may be surprised at the people we find in heaven. God has a soft spot for sinners. His standards are quite low.

The path of joy was connection and the path of sorrow was separation.

There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream to find out why they’re falling in.

I do not regret the mistakes that I’ve made. But the freedom I gave them to haunt me.

Peer into the depths of your soul and see – your magic exceeds that of the stars. Imagine you are viewing the universe you are.

Money doesn’t matter on a deeply personal level. It doesn’t make you feel any happier. But of course I am very aware that I don’t have to worry about earning a living or about those very important practical things that most people have to worry about on a very real level.

You must all, somewhere deep in your hearts, believe that you have a special beauty that is like no other and that is so valuable that you must not abandon it. Indeed, you must learn to cherish it.

I didn’t talk to anybody and say, “I’m going to do a speech, do you go some ideas?” This is something I did on my own because I care very deeply about the country.

Make yourself honey and the flies will devour you.

We all yearn for what we have lost. But sometimes, we forget what we have.

Every day I searched for the star That never was in the sky Now I see that star is on the earth.