Reflections on November

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;

Where knowledge is free;

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow  

      domestic walls;

Where words come out from the depth of truth;

Where tireless striving stretches its arms toward perfection;

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way in the dreary        

      desert sand of dead habit;

Where the mind is led forward by Thee into ever-widening 

      thought and action;

Into the heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake!

 From Gitanjali

by Rabindranath Tagore

1861-1941

“One can’t believe in impossible things,” said Alice.

“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

From Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland

“I would not be an American worthy of the name, should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century . . .

Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone and I thank the people of Arizona for it . . .

Tonight—tonight more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens whether they supported me or Senator Obama. I wish God speed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.”

Taken from the concession speech of Senator

John McCain,  2008