Category: Wisdom

"Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious."

—Brendan Gill (via The Writer’s Almanac).

"There is no formula for success except perhaps for an unconditional acceptance of life and what it brings."

—Arthur Rubenstein (via Criminal Minds).

"In order to tell a true story, you first have to lie."

—Jean-Luc Godard (heard on a panel about truth and documentary making)

"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long
and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones
which open for us."

—Alexander Graham Bell (via The Writer’s Almanac)

And with those lovely words, we are off to SXSW.

See you in Austin.

"Life is always a tightrope or a feather bed. Give me the tightrope."

—Edith Wharton (via The Writer’s Almanac)

"Art is born not in the void but created in chaos"

—Mary Shelly (via To the Best of Our Knowledge)

"Heaven is right here. If heaven is not here, it isn’t anywhere. That is why we really have to make this place what it can be and what it really innately is. Instead of waiting until it’s a big ball of ice like the other planets. We live in heaven. This is heaven. I know it every day. And I know it in my bones, in my heart and in my soul. I know that I live in paradise.

I feel so connected to the creator, to everything that is. You and the farthest star are one. It’s just clear as day to me."

—Alice Walker (heard via the 92nd St. Y podcast).

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man."

—Ben Franklin (via The Writer’s Almanac)

"The true terror of man lies first in his imagination"

—Joseph Conrad (as heard in Berkeley Rep’s performance of "After the Quake")