If you're serious, you really understand that it's important that you laugh as much as possible and admit that you're the funniest person you ever met. You have to laugh. Admit that you're funny. Otherwise, you die in solemnity.

You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!

It may in fact be utterly impossible to be successful without helping others to become successful.

Remember, people will judge you by your actions not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold but so does a hard-boiled egg.

We need Joy as we need air. We need Love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share.

If our children are to approve of themselves, they must see that we approve of ourselves.

We really are 15 countries, and it's remarkable that each of us thinks we represent the real America. The Midwesterner in Kansas, the black American in Durham - both are certain they are the real American.