Samuel Johnson

Parents and children seldom act in concert: each child endeavors to appropriate the esteem or fondness of the parents, and the parents, with yet less temptation, betray each other to their children.

One cause, which is not always observed, of the insufficiency of riches, is that they very seldom make their owner rich.

Nay, Madam, when you are declaiming, declaim; and when you are calculating, calculate.

In traveling, a man must carry knowledge with him, if he would bring home knowledge.

I had rather see the portrait of a dog that I know, than all the allegorical paintings they can show me in the world.

If pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it?

I have never taken any exercise except sleeping and resting.

The stupidity of men always invites the insolence of power.

Youth, which is forgiven everything, forgives itself nothing: age, which forgives itself everything, is forgiven nothing.

Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged.

The pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them.

Wise men are not wise at all hours, and will speak five times from their taste or their humor, to once from their reason.

Where God does not govern, tyrants will rule.

The country life is to be preferred, for there we see the works of God; but in cities little else but the works of men. And the one makes a better subject for contemplation than the other.

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

The whole history of the world is summed up in the fact that, when nations are strong, they are not always just, and when they wish to be just, they are no longer strong.

Blows are sarcasm’s turned stupid.

It is when I struggle to be brief that I become obscure.

Why do the words I want to say, struggle to come out of my mouth. Why does fear have such a grip over me. I shouldn’t have to battle to say all the complimentary things I so desperately want to share. It shouldn’t be this hard, that I have to force myself; it’s wrong that such loving words, should have to be spoken under such duress. I’m aware of how wrong it is, but withholding is all I have known, even though I desire so badly to share my thoughts and feelings with you, as freely as you do with me.

To see helpless infancy stretching out her hands, and pouring out her cries in testimony of dependence, without any powers to alarm jealousy, or any guilt to alienate affection, must surely awaken tenderness in every human mind; and tenderness once excited will be hourly increased by the natural contagion of felicity, by the repercussion of communicated pleasure, by the consciousness of dignity of benefaction.

Obviously, as you grow up, no one’s ever 100 percent proud of every decision that they’ve made, and that’s OK. I think as long as you learn from your mistakes and don’t make them over and over again, you’re on the right path.