Frederick Buechner Quotes

One must always be aware, to notice even though the cost of noticing is to become responsible.

The real question is: How do you react? What do you do next? Evade responsibilities? Bury yourself in work? What do you do? All three of my novels take up that question, although none gives an answer.

Emotion creates reality, reality demands action.

Fear is better than apathy because fear makes us do something.

To listen is an effort, and just to hear is no merit. A duck hears also.

Those who are innocent today may be guilty tomorrow.

I'm always amazed that people are shocked when their despicable action causes an equally despicable reaction.

To know is to care, to care is to act, to act is to make a difference.

The trouble is that once you see it, you can't unsee it. And once you've seen it, keeping quiet, saying nothing, becomes as political an act as speaking out. There's no innocence. Either way, you're accountable.

I open my eyes and my ears, and that’s why I work.

Obviously we can't do what we do if no one is paying attention.

I don't have a social agenda. I just don't choose to ignore what's in front of me.

Don't let your eyes refuse to seeDon't let your ears refuse to hear

We need to keep our ears open to the realities of life. If we don't act on life and take action to make things happen, it will act on us and give us results we might not want.

We see, we feel, we change.

Americans believe that if you know something, you should do something about it.

It would be immoral to walk away from the consequences of our actions, leaving behind anarchy and civil war in Iraq.

People have a right to ask questions and dig deep when you're hurting people and things around you.

The questions don't do the damage. Only the answers do.

You will be judged in years to come by how you responded to genocide on your watch.

I've learned people are watching, so don't do nothing stupid.

Apologies are great, but they don't really change anything. You know what does? Action.

Acting is reacting. You can't react if you're not paying attention, if you're not listening.

I think that all people who feel that there is injustice in the world anywhere should learn as much of it as they can bear. That is our duty.

Only when the voice of duty is silent, or when it has already spoken, may we allowably think of the consequences of a particular action.