John Irving Quotes

For heroes have the whole earth for their tomb; and in lands far from their own, where the column with its epitaph declares it, there is enshrined in every breast a record unwritten with no tablet to preserve it, except that of the heart.

The best way to honor someone who has passed is to live.

To those of you mourn the loss of a loved one today, my heart goes out to you. We remember that the blessings that we enjoy as Americans came at a dear cost. Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we cannot ever fully repay. But we can honor their sacrifice, and we must. We must honor it in our own lives by holding their memories close to our hearts, and heeding the example they set.

In death a hero, as in life a friend!

It's important for everybody to creatively honor him in the best way that we possibly can.

But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or to detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

When my grandfather died, I started adopting some of his accents, to sort of remind myself of him. A homage. He was a war hero, and he was really great with his hands.

How poor this world would be without its graves, without the memories of its mighty dead. Only the voiceless speak forever.

It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.

I've seen the video played over and over, and it replays in my head constantly. To be able to walk in his exact footsteps is an extremely huge honor, and I did this for him as much as I did it for my family to get some closure too.

First, how to memorialize the heroes of 9/11; second, something that expresses our resolve.

We, who are the living, possess the past. Tomorrow is for our martyrs.

The power of noble deeds is to be preserved and passed on to the future.

I've given my life to the principle and the ideal of memory, and remembrance.

It is a sacred duty to see that each of our dead comrades is escorted through the pearly gates by a large, a very large number of enemy dead. It is up to us now and here after to produce these escorts for the heroic slain.

The greatest gift the hero leaves his race, is to have been a hero.

Sage and hero, side by side, Building for their sons the State Which they shall rule with pride

How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!

When someone important to you, someone that's played a big role in your life, when they're gone... When you write about them or pay tribute to them, you want to do it in a way that's thoughtful.

The loss of my father will always sting. But now, everything that I do is in honor of him and celebrates his life.

We should never forget those on whose shoulders we stand and those who paid the supreme price for freedom.

The history of struggle is rich with stories of heroes and heroines - some of them leaders, some of them followers, all of them deserve to be remembered.

If I should die, and you should choose to carry on my work, you are welcome to visit my grave. Pour some water on it and shout three times. I want to hear your voice.

I shall not want Honor in Heaven For I shall meet Sir Philip Sidney And have talk with Coriolanus And other heroes of that kidney.