The dread of futility has been my life-long plague.

Indeed we have souls. And if a person is religious, I think it's good, it helps you a bit. But if you're not, at least you can have the sense that there is a condition inside you which looks at the stars with amazement and awe. That listens to water with a river flowing, or water falling in rain and is lifted up by that and listens to a wonderful singer, wonderful musicians, listens to maybe Duke Ellington or Frank Sinatra or listens to Odetta and Mary J. Blige. Yes, and thinks whoo! And thinks, yes, hmm, all right now. My soul has been washed. I feel better, I feel stronger.

Spirit is an invisible force made visible in all life.

There's something which impels us to show our inner souls. The more courageous we are, the more we succeed in explaining what we know.

It is better to control oneself, if one can, and not hit back. But on certain occasions, it is imperative to defend oneself. I don't think it's fair to ask anybody not to defend herself or himself.

There is nothing so pitiful as a young cynic because he has gone from knowing nothing to believing nothing.

It's one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.