It is not the straining for great things that is most effective; it is the doing the little things, the common duties, a little better and better.

What an immense power over the life is the power of possessing distinct aims. The voice, the dress, the look, the very motion of a person, define and alter when he or she begins to live for a reason.

Happiness must be cultivated. It is like character. It is not a thing to be safely let alone for a moment, or it will run to weeds.

Out of my discomforts, which were small enough, grew one thing for which I have all my life been grateful, the formation of fixed habits of work.

My mother had had six children in five and a half years, and three of them died in that time.

The study of music was a family interest.

I've been thinking about my life, my loss of friends, relationships, opportunities, money, my values. There's also the loss of relationship with my son and my daughter, who I've only met once. All that loss - I just got so good at blocking it out.

I had a great childhood, a very close-knit family. We were all overweight, and we had good times eating together, I imagine.