Padraig Colum

"A man's first duty is to his own household and his own people."

"Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience."

"The road of the dreamer leads always downward into the abyss."

"In every human heart there is a spark of heavenly fire."

"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong in the broken places."

"Children see magic because they look for it."

"To know oneself is the beginning of all wisdom."

"The greatest treasures are those invisible to the eye but precious to the heart."

"Memory is a painter; it paints pictures of the past on the canvas of time."

"A nation's greatness is measured not by its wealth but by the character of its people."

"The poet speaks what all men feel but cannot say."

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."

"Freedom is not merely the absence of chains but the presence of choice."

"The heart knows reasons that reason knows nothing of."

"In solitude, a man discovers himself; in company, he discovers others."

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but action in the face of it."

"The true wealth of a nation lies in its stories and songs."

"Every child is born a poet until the world teaches them otherwise."

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that prisoner was yourself."

"The old songs carry the wisdom of centuries in their melodies."

"A man without a past has no foundation for a future."

"Nature teaches more than books ever could."

"The deepest friendships are forged in shared adversity."

"Work without joy is slavery; work with joy is freedom."

"Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting."

"The greatest gift one person can give another is genuine attention."

"To change the world, one must first change oneself."

"Knowledge without wisdom is like a ship without a rudder."

"The truth may be hidden, but it cannot be killed."

"Success is not the opposite of failure; indifference is."