Why, Jon, why?" his mother asked. "Why is it so hard to be like the rest of the flock, Jon? Why can't you leave low flying to the pelicans, the alhatross? Why don't you eat? Son, you're bone and feathers!" "I don't mind being bone and feathers mom. I just want to know what I can do in the air and what I can't, that's all. I just want to know.

We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill.

The world's crazy, when it comes to beauty.

Learning is finding out what you already know.

Only a few people are interested in what you have to say, but that is all right. You don't have to tell the quality of a master by the size of his crowds.

And like no other sculpture in the history of art, the dead engine and dead airframe come to life at the touch of a human hand, and join their life with the pilot's own.

I think there's an invisible principle of living too. If we believe we're guided through every step of our lives, we are. It's a lovely sight, watching it work.