inspirational Quotes

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Attributed to Emerson in Promotion of Pharmaceuticals : Issues, Trends, Options (1993) pg 74, and also Thoreau elsewhere, but no instance of the quote can be found before 1990, so the authorship of the quote is disputed. Add Category or Author

"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out." — Roy Croft
The poem this is attributed to, by Roy Croft, is nearly identical to a German-language poem by Eric Fried titled "Ich liebe dich" ("I Love You"). Little is known about either poem, so it is difficult to say if Croft actually wrote this poem or if he translated Fried's poem and ended up with the credit. Often the quote is attributed to "Anonymous" or Elizabeth Browning, as well. Add Category or Author

"Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be." — Robert Browning
Dramatis Personae "Rabbi Ben Ezra" (1864) This poem was written about 12th century Abraham ibn Ezra, a sort of "Renaissance man" before there was a Renaissance. The poem is an explanation of the ideas Ezra espoused in his life. Add Category or Author

"If you would be loved, love and be lovable." — Benjamin Franklin
As quoted in A Dictionary of American proverbs (1992), pg. 662 Originally written in Franklin's yearly foray into proverbs, in a work he titled "Poor Richard's Almanack." The Almanack itself was famous for weather forecasts, bits of wisdom, and wordplay. Add Category or Author

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain." — Dolly Parton
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"Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it." — Charles Swindoll
Strengthening Your Grip - October 15, 1998 (Hardcover) Add Category or Author

"You don't just stumble into the future. You create your own future." — Roger Smith
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"Life is like a mirror. Smile at it and it smiles back at you." — Peace Pilgrim
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"If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster." — Stephen R. Covey
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"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." — Reinhold Niebuhr
The Serenity Prayer (c. 1942) Though earlier variants may have existed, Niebuhr was the first to state this so succinctly, and also the first to copyright it. Since then, it has been adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12 step groups. Add Category or Author

"Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul." — Saint Augustine
As quoted in The Little Book of Bathroom Philosophy : Daily Wisdom from the Greatest Thinkers (2004) pg. 50 The original, full quote reads "Quantum in te crescit amor, tantum crescit pulchritudo; quia ipsa charitas est animae pulchritudo," and was fully translated as "Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul." Here Augstine points out the inherent beauty that takes root within us when we love. Add Category or Author

"True love stories never have endings." — Richard Bach
This was reportedly stated by Bach, a best-selling author. After his marriage ended, he also reportedly stated, "[My wife] and I are no longer married. Soul mates, to me, don't define themselves by legal marriage." Add Category or Author

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love." — Sophocles
As quoted in Civilization's quotations: life's ideal (2002) pg. 49 No contextual information is available, beyond the fact that this quote is attributed to the tragic Greek playwright Sophocles. Add Category or Author

"There's no next time. It's now or never." — Author Unknown
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"Dance as though no one is watching you. Love as though you have never been hurt before. Sing as though no one can hear you. Live as though heaven is on earth." — Souza
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"To create more positive results in your life, replace 'if only' with 'next time'." — Author Unknown
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"There is more to life than increasing its speed." — Mahatma Gandhi
As quoted in Once Upon A Dream (2004) pg. 163 Add Category or Author

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." — Buddha
As quoted in The authentic heart: an eightfold path to midlife love (2001) pg. 240 Add Category or Author

"Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out." — James Conant
As quoted in Gleanings in bee culture (1949) Volume 77; Volume 77 Reportedly spoken while Conant was lecturing at Harvard University. Add Category or Author

"Treat people as if they were what they should be and you help them become what they are capable of becoming." — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." — Will Rogers
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