Melissa Virtueson

"History is just people making the same mistakes with different clothes."

"Philosophy is thinking about things you can't actually solve."

"Literature is how dead people talk to us without being weird about it."

"Politics is just organized arguing about things we don't actually understand."

"War is what happens when compromise becomes inconvenient."

"Motivation is just panic with a deadline."

"Inspiration is recognizing brilliance in places you weren't looking."

"Relationships are like plants - you either water them or they die and smell bad."

"Solitude is nice until you realize nobody's coming back."

"Love is just being willing to look stupid for someone else's happiness."

"Hope is what you have when you have nothing else to hold onto."

"I think I'm getting wiser, but it's hard to tell because I'm also getting dumber."

"Happiness is a low bar once you've experienced actual disappointment."

"Success looks different depending on who's judging it."

"Sometimes the best thing about friendship is just being weird together."

"Change is scary until you realize staying the same is scarier."

"Knowledge is power, but so is knowing when not to talk."

"Time is both the fastest and slowest thing, depending on context."

"The truth hurts because we're hoping for a better lie."

"Freedom means making your own mistakes instead of following someone else's."

"Peace is what you feel right before something else goes wrong."

"Nature is beautiful until you remember all the predators."

"Art is whatever makes you feel something, even if that feeling is confusion."

"Science proves we're all connected, but socially we're still very separate."

"Music is proof that beauty exists without needing a reason."

"Faith is the only thing that works when nothing else does."

"Leadership is convincing people that your way is the right way."

"Work would be fine if it didn't involve other people."

"Dreams don't come true, but sometimes they predict the future."

"Humor is the best way to tell the truth and still be invited to parties."