Martin Luther King, Jr. on Awareness

One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source: goodreads.com

Martin Luther King, Jr. on Affecting Change

Another way that you love your enemy is this: When the opportunity presents itself for you to defeat your enemy, that is the time which you must not do it. There will come a time, in many instances, when the person who hates you most, the person who has misused you most, the person who has gossiped about you most, the person who has spread false rumors about you most, there will come a time when you will have an opportunity to defeat that person. It might be in terms of a recommendation for a job; it might be in terms of helping that person to make some move in life. That’s the time you must do it. That is the meaning of love. In the final analysis, love is not this sentimental something that we talk about. It’s not merely an emotional something. Love is creative, understanding goodwill for all men. It is the refusal to defeat any individual. When you rise to the level of love, of its great beauty and power, you seek only to defeat evil systems. Individuals who happen to be caught up in that system, you love, but you seek to defeat the system.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source: goodreads.com

Colum McCann on America

Everybody had a story to tell. The beautiful thing about America is that people are open and gracious and kind.

Colum McCann 

Irish-born, Colum's observation while discussing his experience traveling across America with Stephen Colbert. 

Source: The Colbert Report on facebook

Laurence Boldt on Simplicity

The purpose of life is to live it.

Laurence Boldt.

Source: The Tao of Abundance
by Laurence G. Boldt
©1999 Laurence G. Boldt
Penguin Compass

Tony Robbins on Fulfillment

The Six Human Needs

1. Certainty: assurance you can avoid pain and gain pleasure
2. Uncertainty/Variety: the need for the unknown, change, new stimuli
3. Significance: feeling unique, important, special or needed
4. Connection/Love: a strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something
5. Growth: an expansion of capacity, capability or understanding
6. Contribution: a sense of service and focus on helping, giving to and supporting others

Tony Robbins 

Source: tonyrobbins.com

Leo Buscaglia on Legacy

The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It's overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.

Leo Buscaglia

Source: Gaiam Blog 

A note: Back in 2008,  I included the last two sentences of this quote on this blog.  I like the context now that I have discovered the entire quote.  - Linda.

Edward R. Murrow on Critical Thought

The speed of communications is wondrous to behold. It is also true that speed can multiply the distribution of information that we know to be untrue.
 
Edward R. Murrow
1908 - 1965

Source: goodreads.com

Alex Echols on Mindfulness

So I ask you these three important questions: Is there anything in your life that you feel you need to let go of? Are you recording the magic moments from your life? Are you reaching far with your love?

Alex Echols 

Source: tinybuddha.com