„Tut genau das, was ihr wollt“, aber macht das, was ihr anfangt, gut und mit Begeisterung. Leistet, soviel in euren Kräften steht. Und lasst euch nicht davon beeinflussen, was andere Menschen denken. Tut das, was euch richtig erscheint. Bringt für irgendetwas genug Interesse auf, um ein Wagnis einzugehen! Dann werdet ihr immer wissen, dass ihr gelebt habt.“

„Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you’re keeping all of them in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball.John Keating: Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." Don't be resigned to that. Break out! If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls – family, health, friends, integrity – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered. And once you truly understand the lesson of the 5 balls, you’ll have the beginnings of balance in your life.”

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"