Alexander McCall Smith

"In such a way is freedom of thought lost," said Angus Lordie, who had been listening very attentively to Domenica. "By small cuts. By small acts of disapproval. By a thousand discouragements of spirit."

- 44 Scotland Street

Alexander McCall Smith

Domenica smiled. "It's very easy," she said. "It's very easy, isn't it?"

"What?"

"To increase the sum total of human happiness. By these little acts. Small things. A word of encouragement. A gesture of love. So easy."

-Love Over Scotland

Committment

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness, concerning all acts of initiative and creation. There is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.

-Goethe

Try a thing...

Try a thing you haven't done three times. Once, to get over your fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time, to figure out whether you like it or not.

-Virgil Thompson
composer/critic