Great Inspirational Life Quotes

1. "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."


2. "Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today."


3. "The purpose of life is a life of purpose."


4. "Growth is the only evidence of life."


5. "True religion is real living; living with all one's soul, with all one's goodness and righteousness."


6. "The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn."


7. "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."


8. "Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than the words. It is making the time when there is none. Coming through time after time after time, year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of; the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism."


9. "Live a life as a monument to your soul."


10. "The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man."


11. "Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it."


12. "The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love."


13. "Education is the best provision for the journey to old age."


14. "Contemplate thy powers, contemplate thy wants and thy connections; so shalt thou discover the duties of life, and be directed in all thy ways."


15. "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."


16. "The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted thirty years of his life."


17. "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."



18. "To be able to look back upon one's life in satisfaction is to live twice."


19. "Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."


20. "One thing life taught me: if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else."

Fireman: Billy's Dream

In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at her son who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination.

Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see to that.

But she still wanted her son’s dreams to come true. She took her son’s hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?"

"Mommy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."

Mom smiled back and said, "Let’s see if we can make your wish come true."

Later that day, she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix.

She explained her son’s final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six-year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.

Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you’ll have your son ready at seven o’clock Wednesday morning, we’ll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out all the fire calls, the whole nine yards!

"And if you’ll give us his sizes, we’ll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat, not a toy one, with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They’re all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."

Three days later, Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his fireman uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck.

Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station.

He was in heaven.

There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls.

He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic’s van, and even the fire chief’s car.

He was also videotaped for the local news program.

Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.

One night, all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital.

Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition.

The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We’ll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire? It’s just the fire department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?"

About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy’s third floor opened window. 16 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy’s room.

With his mother’s permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they loved him.

With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?"

Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand," the chief said.

With those words, Billy smiled and said, "I know, He’s been holding my hand all day, and the angels have been singing."

He closed his eyes one last time.