Take the trouble to stop and think of the other person’s feelings, his viewpoints, his desires and needs. Think more of what the other fellow wants, and how he must feel.
—Maxwell Maltz (1899–1975) American Surgeon, Motivational Writer
No one will persist long in helping someone who will not help themselves.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
We all end up in a single bed sooner or later.
—Common Proverb
We are so bound together that no man can labor for himself alone. Each blow he strikes in his own behalf helps to mold the universe.
—Jerome K. Jerome (1859–1927) English Humorous Writer, Novelist, Playwright
Doing things for others always pays dividends…
—Claude M. Bristol (1891–1951) American Journalist, Self-Help Author
He stands erect by bending over the fallen. He rises by lifting others.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic
We are all of us, more or less, the slaves of opinion.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
As to diseases, make a habit of two things – to help, or at least, to do no harm.
—Hippocrates (460–370 BCE) Ancient Greek Physician
Fool that I was, upon my eagle’s wings I bore this wren, till I was tired with soaring, and now he mounts above me.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
We do not exist for ourselves…
—Thomas Merton (1915–68) American Trappist Monk
It is a denial of justice not to stretch out a helping hand to the fallen; that is the common right of humanity.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
One does nothing who tries to console a despondent person with word. A friend is one who aids with deeds at a critical time when deeds are called for.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
Oh you weak, beautiful people who give up with such grace. What you need is someone to take hold of you
—Tennessee Williams (1911–83) American Playwright
It is probably not love that makes the world go around, but rather those mutually supportive alliances through which partners recognize their dependence on each other for the achievement of shared and private goals.
—Fred Allen (1894–1956) American Humorist, Radio Personality
There is the sky, which is all men’s together.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
This is Democratic bedrock: we don’t let people lie in the ditch and drive past and pretend not to see them dying. Here on the frozen tundra of Minnesota, if your neighbor’s car won’t start, you put on your parka and get the jumper cables out and deliver the Sacred Spark that starts their car. Everybody knows this. The logical extension of this spirit is social welfare and the myriad government programs with long dry names all very uninteresting to you until you suddenly need one…
—Garrison Keillor (b.1942) American Author, Humorist, Radio Personality
If your imagination leads you to understand how quickly people grant your requests when those requests appeal to their self-interest, you can have practically anything you go after.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Never stand begging for that which you have the power to earn.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
If we do not hang together, we will all hang separately.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Anywhere I see suffering, that is where I want to be, doing what I can.
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
There is not a man of us who does not at times need a helping hand to be stretched out to him, and then shame upon him who will not stretch out the helping hand to his brother.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
There is nothing that puts a man more in your debt than that he owes you nothing.
—Mark Caine
To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required — not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Let everyone sweep in front of his own door and the whole world will be clean.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
We are not going to be able to operate our Spaceship Earth successfully nor for much longer unless we see it as a whole spaceship and our fate as common. It has to be everybody or nobody.
—Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) American Inventor, Philosopher
Share our similarities, celebrate our differences.
—M. Scott Peck (1936–2005) American Psychiatrist, Author
I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.
—Tennessee Williams (1911–83) American Playwright
Affairs are easier of entrance than of exit; and it is but common prudence to see our way out before we venture in.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
Either men will learn to live like brothers, or they will die like beasts.
—Max Lerner (1902–92) Russian-born American Journalist