“The ocean asks for nothing but those who stand by her shores gradually attune themselves to her rhythm.”

There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.

Regrets are the natural property of grey hairs.

I hope that real love and truth are stronger in the end than any evil or misfortune in the world.

There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart.

The whole difference between construction and creation is exactly this: that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists.

A loving heart is the truest wisdom.

A heart well worth winning, and well won. A heart that, once won, goes through fire and water for the winner, and never changes, and is never daunted.

Remember, to the last, that while there is life there is hope.

My advice is to never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time.

There is something in sickness that breaks down the pride of manhood.

Once a gentleman, and always a gentleman.

Time and tide will wait for no man, saith the adage. But all men have to wait for time and tide.

For not an orphan in the wide world can be so deserted as the child who is an outcast from a living parent’s love.

Family not only need to consist of merely those whom we share blood, but also for those whom we’d give blood.

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.

The worst of all listeners is the man who does nothing but listen.

I’ve always had a passion for music – it’s a real part of me.

Certain kinds of people will always have an issue with my music. But that’s fine; it’s OK. I don’t want to be the McDonald’s of music.

No shade to the other artists in Chicago, but if you got confidence in yourself and you know you’re Number One, say it.

Sometimes it’s just surreal out there, while you’re running a marathon. People just standing out in the cold, even the rain, cheering for you, blasting music for you. It’s an awesome show of camaraderie and community.

Dare to be honest and fear no labor. … Opera is where a man gets stabbed in the back, and instead of dying, he sings.

When I began to rap, I wasn’t taking it real serious. As I start seeing good things, it’s getting serious.

Thankfulness is the tune of angels.

I just love music – by no stretch of the imagination am I professionally competent.