Love is the free exercise of choice. Two people love each other only when they are quite capable of living without each other but choose to live with each other.

It is our task-our essential, central, crucial task-to transform ourselves from mere social creatures into community creatures.

Nirvana or lasting enlightenment or true spiritual growth can be achieved only through persistent exercise of real love.

I have learned nothing in twenty years that would suggest that evil people can be rapidly influenced by any means other than raw power. They do not respond, at least in the short run, to either gentle kindness or any form of spiritual persuasion with which I am familiar.

Delaying gratification is a process of scheduling the pain and pleasure of life in such a way as to enhance the pleasure by meeting and experiencing the pain first and getting it over with. It is the only decent way to live.

Listening well is an exercise of attention and by necessity hard work. It is because they do not realize this or because they are not willing to do the work that most people do not listen well.

The whole course of human history may depend on a change of heart in one solitary and even humble individual - for it is in the solitary mind and soul of the individual that the battle between good and evil is waged and ultimately won or lost.