James McBride Quotes

If I never won a Grammy, I would be satisfied, if in fact I could help people. I don't say that because it sounds like something cool to say.

It gives me satisfaction to help people.

I think there is something for all of us where you find a balance in your life, where you feel that everything you do isn't about your own creature comforts or satisfying your own appetites. Some of it has to be directed outward and there is a huge satisfaction in that.

That's what helps me keep playing: the idea of giving something to others. Because personally, I've had my fill.

My humanitarian work evolved from being with my family. My mom, my dad, they really set a great example for giving back. My mom was a nurse, my dad was a school teacher. But my mom did a lot of things for geriatrics and elderly people. She would do home visits for free.

But often times, I feel like I'm so blessed, it's not fair. That what I'm doing is not contributing to the good of the world.

To be loved is important as is having a sense of accomplishment but to love is equally important in life especially when it is combined with taking action to do something for someone else to make their life better.

I don't spend any time thinking about my place in history, ever. If people say I changed things, it's nice, and I take it - but if I could give it to a charity it would be useful. I really believe now that my only job in life is to achieve a state of comfort and happiness.

Hope and purpose in this world is living as best as you can and maybe having life that gives back. But simply giving back isn't purpose; it's a branch of purpose, but it is not the trunk or root of the tree.

My mom always said if you have a gift, it is absolutely not about you. So I don't get twisted and think for one second it's all about me.

You cannot mandate philanthropy. It has to come from within, and when it does, it is deeply satisfying.

For the most part, I feel really comfortable with what I've given to the people. I want to give it to them again.

Philanthropy is the thing that I am really excited about, and having success means I can do more.

If I've helped one person, I feel really great, but I hear from people daily.

To be in the privileged position where I am able to give something back is, for me, perhaps the single most important measure of success.

I'm a high school history teacher who got lucky.

I feel I was very fortunate to be in the position to do something positive, to make a contribution to change. It gave me terrific satisfaction.

It's the best gift any teacher could possibly get, to go back to where you came from and offer knowledge and camaraderie.

Giving is like a muscle. To be strong, you have to exercise it, and to grow as a person, giving is the exercise. You can't really enjoy anything without sharing it.

I just love what I do, and I'm a teacher more than anything.

Growing up, all I saw was my parents trying to be the best people they could be, and people coming to them for wisdom, coming to them for guidance, and them not putting themselves on a pedestal, but literally being face-to-face with these people and saying, "I'm no better than you, but the fact that you're coming to me to reach some sort of enlightenment or to shine a light on something, that makes me feel love and gratitude for you." They always give back what people give to them. And sometimes they keep giving and giving and giving.

I believe it is my duty to share the gifts I have learned. How dare I have the tools for finding serenity and not share them with the world?

As a person, you want to feel like you're giving back. That's something I've always enjoyed doing.

It doesn't really matter to me whether the 7-year-olds are big fans of my work. I'm happy just to be working at all. I do think it will be nice to have a movie that my son can watch.

It's always nice to look in the mirror at the end of the day and see that you helped somebody's life... even if only a little bit.