We should all aspire in life to do a multitude of things well - to be a great father, to be a good husband, to be a good lover, you know, to try to do things the best you can is very important to me.

There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer.

Deep breaths are very helpful at shallow parties.

It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.

In action a great heart is the chief qualification. In work, a great head.

What's the subject of life - to get rich? All of those fellows out there getting rich could be dancing around the real subject of life.

I have always supported measures and principles and not men.

I dated a lot, but I never really had anyone who was worthy of an anniversary. And most girlfriends never made it to a year, anyway.

Architecture is invention.

The only think I like better than talking about Food is eating.

Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.

Jealousy is both reasonable and belongs to reasonable men, while envy is base and belongs to the base, for the one makes himself get good things by jealousy, while the other does not allow his neighbour to have them through envy.

I've just concluded - since President Obama endorses the same-sex marriage, advocates homosexual people, and enjoys an attractive countenance - thus if it becomes necessary, I shall travel to Washington, D.C., get down on my knee, and ask his hand.

Always expect the unexpected. Right around Thanksgiving, when the new Alex Cross will be out. It's called Four Blind Mice and it's a pretty amazing story about several murders inside the military.

Honor lies in honest toil.

Life is a progress, and not a station.

All the revision in the world will not save a bad first draft: for the architecture of the thing comes, or fails to come, in the first conception, and revision only affects the detail and ornament, alas!

I loved my mom so much because she had to work on a penny just to put food on the table... During the Depression in the United States, everybody had a tough time. And I was so hurt because she was crying that she didn't have any food for us for Thanksgiving.

About four days a week, I do pretty good at having a morning prayer time. But even at that, it's a rambling sort of thing. What I have learned to do better is to try to keep my mind turned toward God and ear inclined toward God throughout the day, and I think I'm doing better at that, but I've got a long way to go.

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.

An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while the pessimist sees only the red spotlight... The truly wise person is color-blind.

No man succeeds without a good woman behind him. Wife or mother, if it is both, he is twice blessed indeed.

I do not seek. I find.

The frightening thought that what you draw may become a building makes for reasoned lines.