Robert Fulghum Quotes

I don't do art to address other people but to address myself. I've never done art with a thought of being a professional artist who makes a living by selling his art. I've never had a commercial show in a gallery. I suppose I'm like those who write poetry or songs without seeking publication. I make art in and for the experience itself — to satisfy a need to express myself in a creative, colorful, non-verbal way.

The grass is not always greener on the other side

If you want an interesting party sometime combine a few cocktails and a box of crayons.

There’s another thing not everyone figures out right away: It’s almost impossible to go through life all alone. We need to find our support group — family, friends, companion, therapy gatherings, team, church or whatever. The kindergarten admonition applies as long as we live: “When you go out into the world, hold hands and stick together.” It’s dangerous out there — lonely, too. Everyone needs someone. Some assembly is always required.

And good neighbors make a huge difference in the quality of life. I agree.

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sand pile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned. These are the things you already know:

"Nobody goes "AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" when they sing it. Maybe because it puts the life adventure in such clear and simple terms. The small creature is alive and looks for adventure. Here's the drainpipe — a long tunnel going up toward some light. The spider doesn't even think about it — just goes. Disaster befalls it — rain, flood, powerful foces. And the spider is knocked down and out beyond where it started. Does the spider say, "To hell with that"? No. Sun comes out — clears things up — dries off the spider. And the small creature goes over to the drainpipe and looks up and thinks it really wants to know what is up there."

It doesn’t matter what you say you believe - it only matters what you do.

There are far worse things to drop on people than Crayolas.

I use Cheer. I like the idea of a happy wash.

"If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you've got a problem. Everything else is an inconvenience. Life is inconvenient. Life is lumpy. A lump in the oatmeal, a lump in the throat, and a lump in the breast are not the same kind of lump. One needs to learn the difference."
- Robert Fulghum

There are places we all come from — deep-rooty-common places — that make us who they are. And we disdain them or treat them lightly at our peril. We turn our backs on them at the risk of self-contempt. There is a sense in which we need to go home again — and can go home again. Not to recover home, no. But to sanctify memory.

Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.

Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts. . . .

I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge — That myth is more potent than history. I believe that dreams are more powerful than facts —
That hope always triumphs over experience — That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.