This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support.
Courage is by no means incompatible with tenderness. On the contrary, gentleness and tenderness have been found to characterize the men, no less than the women, who have done the most courageous deeds.
Character | Courage | Deeds | Gentleness | Means | Men | Tenderness |
Only by means of reverence for life can we establish a spiritual and human relationship with both people and all living creatures within our reach.
Character | Life | Life | Means | People | Relationship | Reverence |
Dark and distorting are the minds of people who dislike us; and when we meet them, we make dismal reflections.
We usually fall asleep in our relationships... not because we are tired of love but so we can dream of new relationships. Life, however, is a work in progress, and love's challenge is not to see people as they once were but as they might be. People who grow old can also grow love.
Challenge | Character | Life | Life | Love | People | Progress | Work | Old |
Even though we personally should do what we can to flee from honor, we still have an obligation to treat other people with honor and respect.
Character | Honor | Obligation | People | Respect |
Suffering is the surest means of making us truthful to ourselves.
What you owe the world is this: to move all goodwill to an enthusiastic, personal, and sensible commitment. Therein lies the great problem. Whatever you do toward this end will arouse people of goodwill throughout the world and encourage them to lend a hand in other countries.
Character | Commitment | People | Will | World |
There is no greater fool than one who makes his happiness based on receiving honor and approval. Such a person’s happiness is always in the hands of others... Such a person is dependent on other people his enter life and will frequently suffer humiliation. Only an idiot would knowingly and willingly put himself in a situation where he will constantly be in need of others and will humiliate himself for a dubious and questionable benefit.
Character | Honor | Life | Life | Need | People | Will | Happiness |
People of many kinds ask questions, but few and rare people listen to answers. Why?
Didst thou every descry a glorious eternity in a winged moment of time? Didst thou ever see a bright infinite in the narrow point of an object? Then thou knowest what spirit means - the spire-top, whither all things ascend harmoniously, where they meet and sit contented in an unfathomed Depth of Life.
Character | Eternity | Life | Life | Means | Object | Spirit | Time |
The best people need afflictions for trial of their virtue. How can we exercise the grace of contentment, if all things succeed well; or that of forgiveness, if we have no enemies?
Character | Contentment | Forgiveness | Grace | Need | People | Virtue | Virtue | Trial |