If death blew a trumpet each time he was coming, there would be no one to greet him on arrival.

A genuine smile is one of the world’s rarest treasures.

A fish that is afraid of drowning in a river is ignorant of its gifts.

A diamond earns its sparkle from the pressure it endures.

It is in the storm, not the calm, that a rainbow is born.

A determined seed cannot be hidden from the world, not even by dirt.

Calm skies don't make skillful eagles.

If you cry in the rain, only the sky will see your tears.

Birds keep singing beautiful songs, even if they have no audience.

Today's storms help you appreciate tomorrow’s sunshine.

Train the ears to hear more, the eyes to see more, the hands to do more, the feet to accomplish more, the mind to think more, the heart to feel more, and the soul to love more.

It is very sad to see children live like orphans whilst their parents are still alive. After all, children need the constant love of parents.

The thing with dying, well, with death really, is that there's a difference between being someone who knows they can really die at any time and someone who doesn't.

People were a little leery when I was doing the press for my last album 'Rumble Doll, ' yes. It's always that thing that this is a dilettante or a pet project.

The good news is that in every deck of fifty-two cards there are 2,598,960 possible hands. The bad news is that you are only going to be dealt one of them.

It was so easy living day by day Out of touch with the rhythm and blues But now I need a little give and take The New York Times, The Daily News.

And what fate befalls mutineers?

The only other time I've been away from home was when I went to college. And that was just an hour away, so I could always go home if I needed to.

I've always been an underdog. I feel like I beat the odds.

Faith does not contradict reason. Faith exceeds reason.

Polka dots can't stay alone. When we obliterate nature and our bodies with polka dots we become part of the unity of our environments.