He who is invisible sees more clearly, hears more clearly, and is better able to read the thoughts of men.

Life's true face is the skull.

We come from a dark abyss, we end in a dark abyss, and we call the luminous interval life.

Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality.

Life on earth means: the sprouting of wings.

I believe I'm a caterpillar buried deep down under the ground. The entire earth is above me, crushing me and I begin to bore through the soil, making a passage to the surface so that I can penetrate the crust and issue into the light. It's hard work boring through the entire earth, but I'm able to be patient because I have a strong premonition that as soon as I do issue into the light I shall become a butterfly.

Look, one day I had gone to a little village. An old grandfather of ninety was busy planting an almond tree. ‘What, grandfather!’ I exclaimed. ‘Planting an almond tree?’ And he, bent as he was, turned around and said: ‘My son, I carry on as if I should never die.’ I replied: ‘And I carry on as if I was going to die any minute.’ Which of us was right, boss?