Don Martinez > Don's Quotes

“Where do bad folks go when they die?
They don't go to Heaven where the angels fly
They go to the lake of fire and fry
Won't see 'em again 'til the Fourth of July”
― Nirvana

“History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes.

{Letter to celebrated scientist Alexander von Humboldt, 6 December, 1813}”
― Thomas Jefferson, Letters of Thomas Jefferson

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.”
― Joseph Campbell

“We did not choose to be the guardians of the gate, but there is no one else.”
― Lyndon B Johnson

“Not our logical faculty, but our imaginative one is king over us. I might say, priest and prophet to lead us to heaven-ward, or magician and wizard to lead us hellward.”
― Thomas Carlyle

“Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

“The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.”
― Charles Spurgeon

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.”
― Henri Nouwen, Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life

“Fight ever on: this earthly stuff
If used God’s way will be enough.
Face to the firing line o friend
Fight out life’s battle to the end.

One soldier, when the fight was red,
Threw down his broken sword and fled.
Another snatched it, won the day,
With what his comrade flung away.”
― Edwin Markham

“God bless this encyclopedic Mr. Google, whoever he was.”
― Jason Heller, Taft 2012

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith”
― The Apostle Paul

“Let my people go”
― Anonymous, The Holy Bible: King James Version

“As Ariel recounted the events of her dream, two magnificent, batlike wings grew from the backs of her shoulders, stretched as if preparing to fly, then retreated back into their host. The sound heard when the wings disappear is the giggling of Alanna, who watched the event much the same way I did, in rapt wonder.”
― Don A. Martinez, Dinétah Dragon

“Gabe taps Michi on the shoulder. “I can understand any hesitation on your part, Michika. If you wish, you can stay behind with your family …”
“Nuh-uh, not a chance!” She brushes Gabe’s hand off of her shoulder. “If my best friend’s gonna be risking her life to kick New Empire ass, then I wanna be right there with her in my asskickin’ boots.”
― Don A. Martinez, The Insurgent's Journal

“Ariel sighed. “How are you not self-conscious about that?”
Kitty chuckled. “Hey, I got used to it in a hurry, and I kind of like the side perks. I always wanted to … y’know, be superhuman, do some of the things I’ve been able to do with this setup.” She curled her tail up to take it in her hands. “Now I know how the guys feel, having something extra in your pants tends to be awkward after a while.”
― Don A. Martinez, The Advance Guard

“I clutch to William’s hand. “I can do this.”
He nods and pulls me tight into his arms. “I know you can. I believe in you.”
I hug him tightly. I don’t want to lose this … I don’t want this to change anything; I still want to love this man when this is over. “Take care of the others.”
He whispers in my ear. “I will.” He picks me up and kisses me, deeply and desperately, for a long time. When we finally release our lip lock, we’re both in tears. His voice is barely a whisper. “I love you, Alanna.”
I stroke his cheek. “I love you.” It’s the first time we’ve both said it out loud at the same time. Something about that makes me feel very hopeful, despite the circumstances.”
― Don A. Martinez, Infernal Eighteen