Philosophical

If our optimism doesn't address the problems that affect so many of our fellow human beings, then our optimism needs more empathy. If empathy channels our optimism, we will see the poverty and the disease and the poor schools — and we will surprise the pessimists.

Work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will never be the same.

As important as freedom of expression is — and it most surely is — so too it is important to know what it is we want to express, and why.

It betrays a poverty of ambition if all you think about is what goods you can buy instead of what good you can do.

Life is a struggle with uncertain outcomes. Nonetheless, the natural world remains the substrate on which we must build our existence.

Through inner peace, all your profession, all your knowledge, can be constructive. But if all your professional knowledge is motivated by anger, hatred, suspicion — then your knowledge becomes destructive.

The more distracted we become, and the more emphasis we put on speed at the expense of depth, the less able we are to care.

There is no better use of a life than to be attentive to such needs. There are as many ways to do this as there are kinds of loneliness, but all of them require presence, all of them require the hard work of human computing.

We went to the moon to explore it, but in fact, we discovered Earth for the first time.

The real hero's journey is the journey from strength to weakness.

Be vigilant in the struggle toward empathy. Consider the Happy Birthday Sir Despite the Circumstances possibility — the possibility that the lives and experiences of others are as complex and unpredictable as your own.

You must always make the path for yourself. There is no secret society out there that will tap you on the shoulder one night and show you the way.