Karen Hesse Quotes

Nothing is insoluble. Nothing is hopeless. Not while there's life.

He had to fight. That's all he had. Not memories, not experiences, not skills. He had a will. And his will was to fight until he couldn't fight anymore.

With each passing day, I didn't lose hope. I fought to have more.

Don't give up, courage is my conviction.

Truly I have looked in the very heart of darkness and refused to yield to its paralyzing influence, but in spirit I am one of those who walk the morning.

I have a fierce will to live. Others fight a little, then lose hope. Still others - and I am one of those - never give up. We fight and fight and fight. We fight no matter the cost of battle, the losses we take, the improbability of success. We fight to the very end.

"No," he says, taking us both in. "No, no, no. You've come farther than most people on this planet will in their lifetimes. You've overcome obstacles and dangers and things that should've killed you. You've outrun an army and a madman and deadly illness and seen things most people will never see. How do you think you could have possibly come this far if you didn't have hope?"

It is hope which makes the shipwrecked sailor strike out with his arms in the midst of the sea, though no land is in sight.

Theirs is the banner in my hand. And I wish I had the power to tell them that the despair of their hearts was not to be final, and their night was not without hope. For the battle they lost can never be lost. For that which they died to save can never perish. Through all the darkness, through all the shame of which men are capable, the spirit of man will remain alive on this earth. It may sleep, but it will awaken. It may wear chains, but it will break through. And man will go on. Man, not men. ~Equality 7-2521 (as Prometheus), pgs 103-104

I was giving up. I would have given up - if a voice hadn't made itself heard in my heart. The voice said "I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen everyday. I will put in all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen.

We're carrying the fire.

Through all the darkness, through all the shame of which men are capable, the spirit of man will remain alive on this earth. It may sleep, but it will awaken. It may wear chains, but it will break through.

Keep a little fire burning; however small, however hidden.

I have, despite all disillusionment, never, never allowed myself to feel like giving up. This is my message today; it is not worthy of a human being to give up.

Here's a message to the new borns, waiting to breathe: if you believe then you can achieve. Just look at me, against all odds 'though life is hard, we carry on, livin' in the projects, broke with no lights on. To all the seeds that follow me- protect your essence, born with less, but you still precious.

Just like moons and suns, With certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise.

Victory in defeat, there is none higher. She didn't give up, Ben; she's still trying to lift that stone after it has crushed her. She's a father working while cancer eats away his insides, to bring home one more pay check. She's a twelve-year-old trying to mother her brothers and sisters because mama had to go to Heaven. She's a switchboard operator sticking to her post while smoke chokes her and fire cuts off her escape. She's all the unsung heroes who couldn't make it but never quit.

The things a man has to have are hope and confidence in himself against odds... And he must be ready to choose death before dishonor without making too much song and dance about it.

I surprise myself that I'm not dead in the gutter somewhere, surprised that I haven't given up.

When people tell you you're on the brink of death, you've got to dig pretty deep to get it together.

The depth of darkness to which you can descend and still live is an exact measure of the height to which you can aspire to reach.

'A Child Called It' was a story about resilience, it was never about boo hoo hoo, it was about a kid that didn't quit.

I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.

You can lay in bed and think you don't stand a chance, that's what all of us thought, and here we are. We ended up doing all right.