Humanity

"Whenever we have opportunity to serve, we must serve with all our heart."

"Taken together the Internet reads like the grandest character-driven novel humanity has ever known. Not much plot though."

"The serious writer was aware of a paradox at the heart of his art: his inner world, the place of the strongest stories, was infinite, but it was also embedded in – if this was possible! – an even more infinite universe of all things to write about. It was like seeing the Grand Canyon from outer space – a huge gorge that looked like a thin trickle, impossible to miss, hard to hit."

"Scientists gladly accept any new truth demonstrated by evidence, that is, proved by the very law of the cosmos. Not so with any new conceptions of religion; these are fought by the use of persecution and venom. Many of the current religious beliefs literally carried into practice would stampede humanity into the old jungle ideas and habits."

"we must love those with whom we live and work, and love them for all their failings, manifest and manifold though they be."

"Life is most transfixing when you are awake to diversity, not only of ethnicity, ability, gender, belief, and sexuality but also of age and experience. The worst mistake anyone can make is to perceive anyone else as lesser."

"I rather have you win, because in God even those who are in second place are first."

"The recurrence of a phenomenon like [Thomas] Edison is not very likely. The profound change of conditions and the ever increasing necessity of theoretical training would seem to make it impossible. He will occupy a unique and exalted position in the history of his native land, which might well be proud of his great genius and undying achievements in the interest of humanity."

"When it comes to my own turn to lay my weapons down, I shall do so with thankfulness and fatigue, and whatever be my destiny after ward, I shall be glad to lie down with my fathers in honour. It is human at least, if not divine."

"The shortest distance between two people is a story."

"Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of magic."

"Teach me to speak the language of men."

"Some people like living in black and white worlds. Let them stay there. Appreciate all the colors you see in your world though."

"Respect is the lifeblood of progress, and the safe harbor of humanity's great aspirations."

"Someday find my son...tell him about how things can be between men on this Earth."--A Letter to Jesse Owens"

"Our humanity consists in our ability to sense and respect and respond to the humanity of others."

"Losing your honor in a person's eye is tantamount losing it for entire humanity."

"But free will is what it means to be human, and no one can determine the path you take through this universe. Choice is our greatest right, our greatest gift-and our greatest responsibility."

"His manual of heaven and hell lay open before me, and I could perceive my nothingness in this scheme."