Quotes

Some of Matt's favorite quotes and a few from the man himself (for Noah and Chloe)

"A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government." ~ Thomas Jefferson


"Democracy... while it lasts, is more bloody than either aristocracy or monarchy.  Remember, democracy never lasts long.  It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself.  There is a never a democracy that did not commit suicide." ~ John Adams

"I never knew the true meaning of unconditional love, until the birth of my first child.  If you're a parent, you know what I mean." ~ Matt on July 3, 2011

"Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society." ~ John Adams

"Uhh, where's our DAUGHTER?" ~ Matt on June 17, 2011 after I wasn't holding Chloe and Matt did not see her on our bed when he walked into our room!

"11 years... I've been so very blessed.  I have the best friends and family in the world!  Thank you all for your support during the last 11 years!" ~ Matt on June 3, 2011

"To all soldiers, past and present - thank you for my freedom!" ~ Matt on May 30, 2011

"When I die and meet Saint Peter at the gates of Heaven (God-willing), I hope he gives me a tour of the unexplained, and unfathomable expansive universe." ~ Matt on May 27, 2011

"Having children is like living in a frat house - nobody sleeps, everything's broken, and there's a lot of throwing up." ~ Ray Romano

"With God, all is possible." ~ Matt on October 8, 2010


"God bless those who lost their lives and the lives of loved ones 9 years ago.  Thank you to those who saved so many people that day - may we not forget your courage." ~ Matt on September 11, 2010

"Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." ~ Ferris Bueller

"Happy Birthday Noah! I love you!" ~ Matt on September 7, 2010

"Thank you Lord for watching over my family today." ~ Matt on August 20, 2010

"What would life be like without the ups and downs?  There would be no tests of faith." ~ Matt on August 19, 2010

"Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers - We are confident that God will get us through this, because we know He has a plan for everyone!" ~ Matt on August 13, 2010 after he was layed off

"Grant me and those in similar situations the faith to trust in Your guidance and goodness, no matter what lies ahead.  Please bless and keep me and my family. Amen" ~ Matt on August 11, 2010

"These are the times that try men's souls." ~ Thomas Paine

"Our principles haven't failed us. We have failed to live up to our principles." ~ Ronald Reagan

"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force.  Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and fearful master." ~ George Washington

"I hope I shall possess firmness with virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man." ~ George Washington

"God Bless America and our troops who put their lives on the line for our freedom!" ~ Matt on July 4, 2010

"10 years... time certainly does fly, and God continues to watch over me." ~ Matt on June 3, 2010 - the 10-year anniversary of his first car accident

"Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company." ~ George Washington

"It has made me a better person today and I wouldn't change any of it!" ~ Matt on his first car accident

"Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny." ~ Thomas Jefferson

"The American experience in achieving the American dream has gone by the wayside.  We [no] longer appreciate the knowledge that comes with the struggles of failure, only the joys the we feel in success.  The failure in the pursuit of success is requisite to understand our founding values and the TRUE American dream!" ~ Matt on April 22, 2010

"Don't burn your bridges.  They are far easier to build than to repair." ~ Matt on April 17, 2010

"If we lose freedom here there is no place to escape to... this is the last stand on Earth." ~ Ronald Reagan

"A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." ~ Thomas Jefferson, on why the United States is a republic

"You cannot escape the the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." ~ Abraham Lincoln

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." ~ Matt on February 15, 2010

"Just remember who we are, we will be the key." ~ Matt on January 29, 2010

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." ~ Benjamin Franklin

"America will never be destroyed from the outside.  If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~ Abraham Lincoln

"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder." ~ George Washington

"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive." ~ C.S. Lewis

"Saying goodbye to my family, since they will be sleeping when I go to Vegas in the morning, and got the biggest smiles from Noah.  Those smiles make leaving very difficult!" ~ Matt on January 10, 2010

"Getting kicked in the chest over and over by my darling son, who has just figured out how awesome his legs are." ~ Matt on December 21, 2009

"Noah just let out the biggest laugh!  What a great start to the day!" ~ Matt on November 30, 2009

"Noah laughed for me for the first time!" ~ Matt on November 28, 2009

"Trying to teach Noah to wave 'hello'.  Now he just keeps smiling and throwing his right arm up above his head.  It's a start!" ~ Matt on November 7, 2009

"I love my son" ~ Matt on November 3, 2009

"Holding my sleeping child (the best feeling in the world)" ~ Matt on September 28, 2009

"What's the hardest part of my day?  Leaving a part of myself at home.  I've never felt so at ease with my life since Noah joined our family." ~ Matt on September 15, 2009

"Noah's smile warms my heart." ~ Matt on September 14, 2009

"The best things in life are free." ~ Matt on September 10, 2009

"I am madly in love with my sweetheart of a wife!" ~ Matt on June 12, 2009

"To those of you who helped me get to where I am today: thank you.  You will never know how much I appreciate your support and encouragement through the good times and the bad." ~ Matt on December 8, 2006

"After seven years of knowing the most wonderful person, I finally decided to ask her to settle down with me for the rest of our lives." ~ Matt on May 21, 2006, a month after our engagement

"Wow, it's amazing how far we've come since then: The immature high school kids, as well as each other's first love.  I'm so glad we've ended up together - Life had come full circle for us." ~ Matt on April 8, 2006  

"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin..... But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.  Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." ~ Alfred Souza

"I think, being the fast-paced Americans we are, there is always something that begs us to anticipate the future - failing to live in the moments of now and thus, not appreciating them as much as we should." ~ Matt, on the above quote, January 21, 2006

"Life is good... Life with Stephanie is indescribable." ~ Matt on January 21, 2006

"And here's a story I'll definitely be telling my kids someday...

At 11:00 last night I realized that I needed to shave, but forgot to get razors at the store.  I don't know the neighborhoods well enough to feel comfortable walking to the store, nor did I want to call a cab and pay $5 just for a ride to get them.  Therefore, I called the Hotel MIT, which is on the way to the office.  I asked if I could stop by in the morning to buy a razor, and they said it wouldn't be a problem.  So I stopped there this morning to shave.  They wouldn't let me pay for the razor, nor tip them, how nice!!  Anyway, I cut myself with the crappy razor, and all guys know that your face never stops bleeding....  I kept clotting it with kleenex, and finally got it down a lot, but had to get to work.  There I was, walking the rest of the way to work, blotting my face with a tissue --  Did the same while I waited with the other interns in the lobby.  Eventually it stopped, but it was quite the stressful event, nonetheless" ~ Matt on June 6, 2005

"Judge not, that ye be not judged."  Matthew 7:1

"I've spoken with God, and asked for his assistance to get rid of the habit to judge people." ~ Matt on May 1, 2005

"I can't begin to put into words the emotional high I get when I'm with you, Steph.  It's remarkable.  Your smile, the way in which you carry yourself, and go about your day are incredible.  You have so much kindness in your heart, and I feel blessed that we're able to share in each others' lives.  You are one of a kind -- and as I have always said -- an angel ---  You have stuck by my side, though indirectly most of the time, for the last 5 years.  Now, I feel like I've found home.  I love you." ~ Matt on April 19, 2005

"People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered...  Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives...  Do good anyway.  If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies...  Succeed anyway.  The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow...  Do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable...  Be honest and frank anyway.  The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind...  Think big anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight...  Build anyway.  People really need help but may attack if you help them...  Help people anyway. Give the world the best you have, and you might get kicked in the teeth...  Give the world the best you've got anyway." ~ Unknown

"I found the above quote very inspirational.  Ignore the cynics or pessimists, who seem to want to point out the faults or mistakes in your life.  There are few people left in this world who concentrate on the good in life, or who are focused on performing good for others." ~ Matt on March 23, 2005

" I could read those books at any point in my life, and they'd be able to make me happy.  The numbers of people who wrote in it, poured their hearts out to me.  Thank you, all of you who got me through that event in my life.  Without your love and prayers, I might not be here today." ~ Matt on the journals kept while he was in the hospital, February 28, 2005

"Happiness comes to those who are moving toward something they want very much to happen. And it almost always involves making someone else happy." ~ Earl Nightingale

"The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit." ~ Moliere

"I'm appreciative for what I have today,  because it may not be the same tomorrow. Please pray with me, for those who seek God" ~ Matt on January 22, 2005

"Relationships with friends and family are a couple of the most important parts in life.   Do your best not to let them slide to the side or out of your life." ~ Matt on January 10, 2005

"Only a life lived for others is worth living." ~ Albert Einstein

"True happiness does not rest within the 'haves', but rather with the 'do's'." ~ Matt on January 6, 2005

"I am presently enjoying every moment I can.  I haven't had this sort of appreciation for life since the accident, and I sincerely hope that it doesn't leave me for a long time, because it's refreshing.  Look around and try to appreciate life for what it is.  Take the good and the bad, because that's what life is.  Love every moment: it's a gift.  That's living life to the fullest." ~ Matt on December 29, 2004

"I've always thought in depth about life and the dire importance to live it to its fullest." ~ Matt on December 24, 2009

"Those challenges laid before me by God were blessings to prove myself to Him and the wonderful people around me.  Bless you all for your friendship and all you have been for me." ~ Matt on December 24, 2009

"You become successful the minute you decide to be''

"Every morning you are handed 24 golden hours. They are one of the few things in this world that you get free of charge. If you had all the money in the world, you couldn't buy an extra hour. What will you do with this priceless treasure? Remember, you must use it, as it is given only once. Once wasted you cannot get it back." ~ Unknown