"Rien ne se fait
bien sans passion."
(author unknown--French saying)

"L'INFELICE CHE SERBA
LA SUA DIGNITA'
E'
UNO SPETTACOLO DI CORAGGIO
AI BUONI,
E
DI RIMBROTTO
AI MALVAGI."

(Foscolo)

A father's wish

My son, when you opened your eyes to the world,
everything was joy and celebration and you were
crying;
Behave so that when you leave the world,
you will be happy, and others will be left
crying.

Original Italian version:

Figlio mio, quando gli occhi apristi al giorno,
Tutto era gioia  e  festa, a te d'intorno  e tu
piangevi intanto;
fa'  si  che  quando te ne andrai dal mondo
tu sia lieto e giocondo e restin gli altri
in pianto.

Tough love:

Love sometimes says no---and means it.
Love refuses to ignore sin.
Love sets limits.
Love acts for the good of the other person,
even when doing so is inconvenient or unpleasant.

from Albert Einstein:

"Strange  is  our situation here on Earth. 
Each of us comes for a short visit,
not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming
to divine a purpose.
From the standpoint of daily life, however,
there is one thing we do know:
that man is here for the sake of other men--
above all for those whose smiles and well-being
our own happiness depends."

da San Bernardo:

"Come poi e'  beato l'uomo che trova la SAPIENZA,
cosi'  e'   beato pure,  o  anche piu'   ancora,  colui  che 
dimora  nella  SAPIENZA."

("How blessed is the man who finds knowledge,
so also is blessed, or even more so,  he  who
dwells  in  KNOWLEDGE.")