A person is either himself or not himself; is either rooted in his existence or is a fabrication; has either found his humanhood or is still playing with masks and roles and status symbols. And nobody is more aware of this difference (although unconsciously) than a child. Only an authentic person can evoke a good response in the core of the other person; only person is resonant to person.

When we inform, we lead from strength; when we communicate, we lead from weakness—and it is precisely this confession of mortality that engages the ears, heads and hearts of those we want to enlist as allies in a common cause.

We have not passed that subtle line between childhood and adulthood until we have stopped saying 'It got lost,' and say, 'I lost it.'

Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.

Maturity begins when we're content to feel we're right about something without feeling the necessity to prove someone else wrong.

Why do most Americans look up to education and down upon educated people?

History repeats itself, but in such cunning disguise that we never detect the resemblance until the damage is done.