I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately to front only the essential facts of life and see if I could not learn what it had to teach and not when I came to die discover that I had not lived.

Flying back from New York the flight attendant said 'God I wished you were here yesterday we had a stroke on the plane. I said if I have a stroke on a plane I hope the pretend doctor isn't the one on the plane. I want a real doctor.

We live in a world where amnesia is the most wished-for state. When did history become a bad word?

In addition to their power over government based on government financing and personal influence bankers could steer governments in ways they wished them to go by other pressures.

The good things of prosperity are to be wished but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired.

I wished to God the doctor had handed me a pamphlet that said 'Hey sorry about the autism but here's a step-by-step list on what to do next.' But doctors don't do that. They say 'sorry' and move you along.

I wished to go completely outside and to make a symbolic start for my enterprise of regenerating the life of humankind within the body of society and to prepare a positive future in this context.

To the citizens of Israel I say: we have passed difficult years faced the most painful experiences and overcame them. The future lies before us. We are required to take difficult and controversial steps but we must not miss the opportunity to try to achieve what we have wished for for so many years: security tranquillity and peace.

The old Romans all wished to have a king over them because they had not yet tasted the sweetness of freedom.

I don't know what religious people do. I kind of wished I'd been a Christian with the blind faith that God is doing the right thing. As a Buddhist you feel like you have more control over the situation and that you can change your karma.