“It’s been my observation” I said, “that you humans are more than the sum of your history. You can choose how much of your ancestry to embrace. You can overcome the expectations of your family and your society. What you cannot do, and should never do, is try to be someone other than yourself–Piper McLean.”

“IF YOU DON’T GO AFTER WHAT YOU WANT; YOU COULD SPEND YOUR ENTIRE LIFE SETTLING FOR WHAT YOU CAN GET”

“It takes courage to become authentic. So many talk about the light but not enough speak the truth about the struggles it takes to get there and the tools to overcome it all.”

“You have to understand yourself before you can understand anything else.”

“Pray to God, but row to shore”

“After enough failed attempts to rescue myself, I finally realized that I am my own worst first responder.”

“We all have a voice. Some a whisper, some a roar. If you can roar, roar for others. If you can only whisper, keep trying. Every roar started small.”

“It is simply a confession that with all that I’ve seen in the last few years, all the events I’ve been invited to, and all the people whom I’ve met, I am less and less impressed by “impressive” things or people who are presented as having things figured out. I am impressed by people who are honest and kind. I am inspired by moments of vulnerability, moments of confession and compassion, moments where someone makes it clear that they are a person in need of other people and someone else makes it clear that the first person is not alone.”

“Spiritual yearning is the homesickness of the soul.”

“No matter how smart we may think we are, no matter how committed we are to our truth, we can lose our way.”

“If you can change the way you think in time you will notice a change in your heart and also a change in your life and the way you see things.”

“If you can’t focus then how do you expect to make your dreams come true?”