The difference between hope and despair is a different way of telling stories from the same facts.

The desire for high status is never stronger than in situations where "ordinary" life fails to answer a median need for dignity and comfort.

The most attractive are not those who allow us to kiss them at once [we soon feel ungrateful] or those who never allow us to kiss them [we soon forget them], but those who coyly lead us between the two extremes.

When work is not going well, it's useful to remember that our identities stretch beyond what is on the business card, that we were people long before we became workers - and will continue to be human once we have put our tools down forever.

Not being understood may be taken as a sign that there is much in one to understand.

Being funny should be an incidental byproduct of trying to get to something truthful, not a destination in itself.

We fall in love because we long to escape from ourselves with someone as beautiful, intelligent, and witty as we are ugly, stupid, and dull. But what if such a perfect being should one day turn around and decide they will love us back? We can only be somewhat shocked-how can they be as wonderful as we had hoped when they have the bad taste to approve of someone like us?