André

“You don't have to be educated to be intelligent,
eloquent to be wise, rich to be powerful,
famous to be important, shameful to be popular,
prominent to be superior, wealthy to be generous,
influential to be fortunate, celebrated to be kind,
famous to be hopeful, shameful to be happy,
celebrated to be blessed, heartless to be strong,
militant to be firm, loud to be assertive,
cocky to be ambitious, overbearing to be dominant,
nor aggressive to be determined.

And you also don't have to be connected to be successful,
gifted to be great, talented to be exceptional,
connected to be brilliant, gifted to be extraordinary,
talented to be successful, weak to be humble,
frail to be meek, timid to be gentle,
delicate to be humane, tame to be peaceful,
vulnerable to be moderate, schooled to be cultured,
literate to be civilized, conceited to be sophisticated,
refined to be accomplished, well-bred to be polished,
nor learned to be enlightened.”
― Matshona Dhliwayo

“His heart is a suspended lute; As soon as you touch it, it resonates.”
― Edgar Allan Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher

“If I had been born a woman I would certainly have been a prostitute. Since I had been born a man, I craved women constantly, the lower the better. And yet women - good women - frightened me because they eventually wanted your soul, and what was left of mine, I wanted to keep. Basically I craved prostitutes, base women, because they were deadly and hard and made no personal demands. Nothing was lost when they left. Yet at the same time I yearned for a gentle, good woman, despite the overwhelming price. Either way I was lost. A strong man would give up both. I wasn't strong. So I continued to struggle with women, with the idea of women.”
― Charles Bukowski, Women

“Never depend on the admiration of others. There is no strength in it. Personal merit cannot be derived from an external source. It is not to be found in your personal associations, nor can it be found in the regard of other people. It is a fact of life that other people, even people who love you, will not necessarily agree with your ideas, understand you, or share your enthusiasms. Grow up! Who cares what other people think about you!”
― Epictetus, The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness