#count

The economic, social and cultural progress of a nation depends on citizens counting for more and having more rights. ↗

— Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero

#counting #cultural #depends #economic #having

If I could have made the change sooner I daresay I should never have given a thought to the literary delights of Paris or London; for life in the country is the only state which has always completely satisfied me, and I had never been allowed to gratify it, even for a few weeks at a time. Now I was to know the joys of six or seven months a year among fields and woods of my own, and the childish ecstasy of that first spring outing at Mamaroneck swept away all restlessness in the deep joy of communion with the earth. ↗

— Edith Wharton

#nature #change

Which is not to discount everything I've done in my past; everything I have learned tremendously from. ↗

— Rachel True

#done #everything #i #i have learned #learned

My foundations support people in the country who care about an open society. It's their work that I'm supporting. So it's not me doing it. But I can empower them. I can support them, and I can help them. ↗

— George Soros

#care #country #doing #empower #foundations

And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry years. It was always that way. ↗

— John Steinbeck

#human-nature #life

We had been hopelessly labouring to plough waste lands; to make nationality grow in a place full of the certainty of God… Among the tribes our creed could be only like the desert grass – a beautiful swift seeming of spring; which, after a day’s heat, fell dusty. ↗

— T.E. Lawrence

#military #beauty

Penny knew also she loved the country for its beauty. Cities could be magnificent, astounding, fantastic, but they were not consistently beautiful and simple. Penny liked uncomplicated beauty. ↗

— Dorothy Deming

#city #country #life #simplicity #beauty

Why are you carrying all these sticky drinks out to the dance floor?" "My friends just got engaged. We're doing the girls' night out thing." "So then you're unlikely to leave here with me." I blinked, and then blinked again, hard. With this frank suggestion, I was officially out of my depth. Way out of my depth. "I... what? No." "Pity." "You're serious? You just met me." "And already I have a strong urge to devour you. ↗

— Christina Lauren

#beauty

Consider the fact that maybe…just maybe…beauty and worth aren’t found in a makeup bottle, or a salon-fresh hairstyle, or a fabulous outfit. Maybe our sparkle comes from somewhere deeper inside, somewhere so pure and authentic and REAL, it doesn’t need gloss or polish or glitter to shine. ↗

— Mandy Hale

#authenticity #beauty #being-fabulous #being-yourself #fabulous

Often the best source of information about waste, fraud, and abuse in government is an existing government employee committed to public integrity and willing to speak out. Such acts of courage and patriotism, which can sometimes save lives and often save taxpayer dollars, should be encouraged rather than stifled. We need to empower federal employees as watchdogs of wrongdoing and partners in performance. ↗

— Shana McDonald

#national-security #patriotism #whistleblowers #courage