The power of growth, of improvement, the power to overcome all stagnation and break through every obstacle and transform a barren wasteland into a verdant field - that unstoppable power of hope resides right within your own heart. It wells up from the rich earth of your innermost being when you face the future without doubt or fear: "I can do more. I can grow. I can become a bigger and better human being."

We should all develop the mind to rejoice in, praise and share in the gift of those who have artistic talents and a richness of heart, whether they achieve wide recognition or not. Cultivating such a beautiful mind is a very worthy effort. Culture and art are not just decorations. They are not just accessories. What matters is whether culture enriches the essential substance of our lives.

But I think we need to remember that democracy everywhere is by its nature incomplete, a work in progress.

Hope is the sun. It is light. It is passion. It is the fundamental force for life's blossoming.

Ultimately, the only way to make good friends is to become a good friend yourself. Good people gather around other good people.

Before comparing yourself with others, win the battle with yourself. Strive to be better today than yesterday, and better tomorrow than today.

Bravely overcoming one small fear gives you the courage to take on the next.