foundations Quotes

″Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value. They’re fundamental. They’re essentially unarguable because they are self-evident. One way to quickly grasp the self-evident nature of principles is to simply consider the absurdity of attempting to live an effective life based on their opposites. I doubt that anyone would seriously consider unfairness, deceit, baseness, uselessness, mediocrity, or degeneration to be a solid foundation for lasting happiness and success.″

“Loves are like empires: when the idea they are founded on crumbles, they, too, fade away.”

“Healthy shame is the psychological foundation of humility. It is the source of spirituality.”

“Total self-love and acceptance is the only foundation for happiness and the love of others.”

“Sweetheart, I know high school might not feel important, but it’s the foundation for the rest of your life.”

“Every sturdy tree that towers over human beings owes its existence to a deeply rooted core.”

“Abuse and neglect negate love. Care and affirmation, the opposite of abuse and humiliation, are the foundation of love. No one can rightfully claim to be loving when behaving abusively.”

“It occurs to me how close happiness and sadness are. So closely knitted together. Such a thin line, a thread-like divide that in the midst of emotions, it trembles, blurring the territory of exact opposites ... how quickly a moment of love was snapped away to a moment of hate ... Of how love and war stand upon the very same foundations.”

“Going to live at Baltimore laid the foundation, and opened the gateway, to all my subsequent prosperity. I have ever regarded it as the first plain manifestation of that kind providence which has ever since attended me, and marked my life with so many favors.”

“The most foundational thing we can say about marriage is that it is God’s doing.

“Sutra 1.14: sa tu dîrgha-kâla-nairantarya-satkârâsevito drdha-bhûmih” Translation: When this practice is done for a long time, and with sincere devotion, then the practice becomes a firmly rooted, stable, and solid foundation.

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens.”

“Let the enemies in our land be reconciled, but let reformation be the foundation.”

“Honesty and openness is always the foundation of insightful dialogue.”

“I couldn’t have my happiness made out of a wrong—an unfairness—to somebody else.... What sort of life could we build on such foundations?”

“The foundation stone of wealth accumulation is defense, and this defense should be anchored by budgeting and planning.”

“As the Little House settled down on her new foundation, she smiled happily. Once again she could watch the sun and moon and stars. Once again she could watch Spring and Summer and Fall and Winter come and go.”

“The Bible tells us to build our houses on foundations of stone...on Krakatoa we have found it necessary to use an even stronger foundation. Our houses are built on a substructure of solid diamond boulders.”

The basis of optimism is sheer terror.