Property

The first man who, having enclosed a piece of ground, bethought himself of saying This is mine, and found people simple enough to believe him, was the real founder of civil society.  From how many crimes, wars and murders, from how many horrors and misfortunes might not anyone have saved mankind, by pulling up the stakes, or filling up the ditch, and crying to his fellows, "Beware of listening to this impostor; you are undone if you once forget that the fruits of the earth belong to us all, and the earth itself to nobody."  ~Jean Jacques Rousseau, A Discourse on the Origin of Inequality

Friends

We take care of our health, we lay up money, we make our roof tight and our clothing sufficient, but who provides wisely that he shall not be wanting the best property of all - friends?  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Preoccupations

It is preoccupation with possession, more than anything else, that prevents men from living freely and nobly.  ~Bertrand Russell, Principles of Social Reconstruction, 1917

More on House Ownership

And when the farmer has got his house, he may not be the richer but the poorer for it, and it be the house that has got him. ~ Henry David Thoreau

House Ownership

Our houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather than housed by them.  ~Henry David Thoreau

Voice in the head

Make sure your worst enemy is not living between your own two ears. ~ Anon

True Life

"Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake." ~ Henry David Thoreau

Happiness

Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect. It means you have decided to look beyond the imperfections. ~Gerard Way

on Working Hard

A man may be very industrious, and yet not spend his time well. There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greater part of life getting his living. -Henry David Thoreau, naturalist and author (1817-1862)

Talent vs Character

Talent develops in tranquillity, character in the full current of human life. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, poet, dramatist, novelist, and philosopher (1749-1832)

Flattery

What really flatters a man is that you think him worth flattering. -George Bernard Shaw, writer, Nobel laureate (1856-1950) 

Meanings

Words differently arranged have different meanings, and meanings differently arranged have a different effect. -Blaise Pascal 

Faith

Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith.
~Margaret Shepherd

Action

Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. ~ Will Rogers, Humorist & Actor

Friends

You become like the 5 people you spend the most time with. Choose carefully. ~ Anon

Life's miracles

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. —Albert Einstein

Learning from Mistakes

More people would learn from their mistakes if they weren't so busy denying them. ~ Harold J Smith

Voice

A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used, to utter fully human speech as possible.  Powerlessness and silence go together." — Margaret Atwood: Canadian poet

Action and study

Action without study is fatal. Study without action is futile. ~Mary Ritter Beard

Contempt

Contempt is the weapon of the weak and a defense against one's own despised and unwanted feelings. -Alice Miller, psychologist and author (1923-2010)

War

Wars damage the civilian society as much as they damage the enemy. Soldiers never get over it. -Paul Fussell, historian, author, and professor (1924-2012)

Friends

It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us. -Epicurus, philosopher (c. 341-270 BCE)

Action

"Don't wait. The time will never be just right."— Napoleon Hill

Wisdom & Patience

Wisdom evolves from seeing things as they are and patience comes from accepting things as they are.- Allan Lokos

Living honorably

It is impossible to live pleasurably without living prudently, honorably, and justly; or to live prudently, honorably, and justly, without living pleasurably. -Epicurus, philosopher (c. 341-270 BCE)

Perseverence

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."

—Earl Nightingale: