“We talk about politicians being in public life, but they seldom appear...” — Rebecca Solnit Quote

“We talk about politicians being in public life, but they seldom appear in the public space where everyone is free to appear as a citizen.”

“Having the right to show up and speak are basic to survival, to dignity, and to liberty.”

“What lies ahead seems unlikely; when it becomes the past, it seems inevitable.”

“How will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?" (Plato)”

“The world you live in is not a given; much of what is best in it has been built through the struggles of passionate activists over the last centuries. They won us many freedoms and protected many beauties. Count those gifts among your growing heap.”

“Thinking is generally thought of as doing nothing in a production-oriented society, and doing nothing is hard to do. It's best done by disguising it as doing something, and the something closest to doing nothing is walking.”

“There is no scientific reason to think that we, even with space travel, are going to survive as a species for ever, certainly not by biting off the hand that feeds us, which is exactly what we are doing.”

“The key to creating the mental space before responding is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a way of being present: paying attention to and accepting what is happening in our lives. It helps us to be aware of and step away from our automatic and habitual reactions to our everyday experiences.”

“Absolutely the United States should lead in space, for the survival of the United States. It's inspiring for the next generation. If we lose leadership, then we'll be using Chinese capability to inspire Americans.”

“I'm excited just to go to space.”

“There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.”

“At night, when the sky is full of stars and the sea is still you get the wonderful sensation that you are floating in space.”