Parker Palmer Quotes

I have tried to be more relatable, but I won't be relatable to everybody.

I think everybody's the same. I think we're all entitled to our space, and I like to treat everybody like that.

As I am, so are others as others are, so am I. Having thus identified self and others, harm no one nor have them harmed.

Children aren't coloring books. You don't get to fill them with your favorite colors.

Human wholeness can never be found in the denigration of another

Once you've chosen a man, don't try to change him', I wrote with more confidence. 'It can't be done. More important-don't let him try to change you.

So what’s wrong if there happens to be one guy in the world who enjoys trying to understand you?

Morality comes from a commitment to treat other as we wish to be treated, which follows from the realization that none of us is the sole occupant of the universe.

I don't want to go around making everyone else agree with me. I don't feel the need to do that.

Distrust compassion; prefer dignity for yourself and others. Don't be afraid to be thought arrogant or selfish.

Okay, let’s put it this way. I would like to sleep with you. But it’s alright if I don’t sleep with you. What I’m saying is I’d like to be as fair as possible. I don’t want to force anything on anybody, any more than I’d want anything forced on me. It’s enough that I feel your presence or see your commas swirling around me.

He’s worth fighting for, but I won’t change who I am for any man. No more than he should alter himself to suit me.

When we understand the other fellow's viewpoint - understand what he is trying to do - nine times out of ten he is trying to do right.

There are some persons we could not cut down to size without diminishing ourselves as well.

All of our humanity is dependent upon recognizing the humanity in others

We will never recognize the true value of our own lives until we affirm the value in the life of others.

It occurs to her that there is one thing about people you can never understand well enough: how entirely inside themselves they are.

'As I am, so are these. As are these, so am I.' Drawing the parallel to yourself, neither kill nor get others to kill.

I don't want to bring myself down to place where there are hard and fast rules. In general I try to be compassionate, but that is dependent on the moment ultimately.

One day, may we all meet together in the light of understanding.

I don't try to kind of go for the overly sympathetic. I don't really like sympathy; I don't like it for myself. Sometimes sympathy you feel like, you're kind of trying to victimize someone.

Once you get below the floor of our personal identities, we're all connected. Perhaps that's why we can move into others' lives.

Clem (Clementa Pinckney) understood that justice grows out of recognition of ourselves, in each other.

It is the law of love that rules mankind. Had violence, i.e. hate, rules us we would have become extinct long ago. And yet, the tragedy of it is that the so-called civilised men and nations conduct themselves as if the basis of society was violence.

I like the assumption that everyone is trying his best, and we should all just be kind to each other.