The only way to achieve happiness is to cherish what you have and forget what you do not have.
Labor is a form of creation. — Maxim Gorky, *Soviet Literature*
Fame is like certain brightly colored 'flowers'; it contains poisonous substances. — Balzac, *Modeste Mignon*
Tomorrow's hope makes us forget today's pain.
Grandmothers invented monsters to frighten children, and they invented God to frighten adults. — Victor Hugo, *Les Misérables*
If the immense energy of all humanity were concentrated in one head, and the whole world's wisdom were gathered in one mind, such a state, if it continued, would be the end of civilization. — Victor Hugo, *Les Misérables*
Life is short, but if lived ignobly, it is far too long. — *Shakespeare's Plays*
The true distinction among humans is this: those in the light and those in the dark. — Victor Hugo, *Les Misérables*
Society is a mire; we must stand on high ground. — Balzac, *Old Goriot*
If life is stripped of ideals, dreams, and illusions, it becomes nothing more than an empty shell.
A life without friends is like a life without sunshine.
Anger is punishing yourself for someone else's mistake.
A career is a railing, helping us walk along the edge of the abyss. — Maxim Gorky, *The Affair of the Afanasyev Family*