"Forget sex or politics or religion, loneliness is the subject that clears out a room."

"Most people have no idea how to politely answer a phone. The English do, and it's been their only major business advantage for the past two centuries."

"There's much to be said for feeling numb. Time passes more quickly. You eat less, and because numbness encourages laziness, you do fewer things, good or bad, and the world's probably a better place for it."

"We live in an era with no historical precedents. History is no longer useful as a tool in helping us understand current changes."

"To walk the path of enlightenment means the river of time shapes the stones of destiny."

"The silent observer understands that the only true currency in life is time well spent."

"True wisdom begins when you realize the roots of true happiness grow deep in the present moment."

"It is a timeless truth that the river of time washes away kings and empires, leaving only virtue intact — an essential principle for the reflective life."