Tonya Lampley > Tonya's Quotes

“How wrong is it for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself?”
― Anais Nin

“I can't believe what you say, because I see what you do.”
― James Baldwin

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it!”
― William Hutchison Murray

“There are two kinds of secrets. The ones we keep from others and the ones we keep from ourselves.”
― Frank Warren

“Worry is a misuse of the imagination.”
― Dan Zadra

“...no woman can love a weak man hard enough to make him strong.”
― Pearl Cleage, Just Wanna Testify

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
― Howard Thurman

“our youth are told that buying expensive items is normal behavior for affluent people. They are led to believe that the wealthy have a high-consumption lifestyle. They learn that hyperspending is the main reward for becoming affluent in America. Why”
― Thomas J. Stanley, The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy

“We waste so much energy trying to cover up who we are when beneath every attitude is the want to be loved, and beneath every anger is a wound to be healed and beneath every sadness is the fear that there will not be enough time.

When we hesitate in being direct, we unknowingly slip something on, some added layer of protection that keeps us from feeling the world, and often that thin covering is the beginning of a loneliness which, if not put down, diminishes our chances of joy.

It’s like wearing gloves every time we touch something, and then, forgetting we chose to put them on, we complain that nothing feels quite real. Our challenge each day is not to get dressed to face the world but to unglove ourselves so that the doorknob feels cold and the car handle feels wet and the kiss goodbye feels like the lips of another being, soft and unrepeatable.”
― Mark Nepo, The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have

“We work so hard to get somewhere, to realize a dream, to arrive at some destination, that we often forget that though some satisfaction may be waiting at the end of our endurance and effort, there is great and irreplaceable aliveness in the steps along the way.”
― Mark Nepo

“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world. It requires profound purpose larger than the self kind of understanding.”
― Bill Bullard

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. So when Jesus says “Love your enemies,” he is setting forth a profound and ultimately inescapable admonition. Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies– or else? The chain reaction of evil–hate begetting hate, wars producing wars–must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.”
― Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love

“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.”
― Mortimer J. Adler

“If you want to see a person’s true character, watch how they treat people who seemingly can’t help them.”
― Charlamagne Tha God, Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It

“If we truly understood God’s plan for the union between a man and a woman, we’d fight harder. People give up on the husband or wife God has chosen for them too easily. Anyone can walk away, the courage comes in staying and fighting. And if God is in the mix, staying is worth it. Like I said, we just have to understand marriage.”
― Victoria Christopher Murray, Temptation: The Aftermath

“When there is no peace in your soul there is no peace in your heart, when there is no peace in your heart there is no peace in your mind, when there is no peace in your mind there is no peace in your life, and when there is no peace in your life there is no peace in your world.”
― Matshona Dhliwayo

“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

“Don't ever discount the wonder of your tears. They can be healing waters and a stream of joy. Sometimes they are the best words the heart can speak.”
― William P. Young, The Shack

“Choose your life’s mate carefully. From this one decision will come ninety percent of your happiness or misery.”
― Jeremy Poland, The First Thirty Days: Launching Your Relationship Right