Family Quotes | Beyond Motive

top of page

Family Quotes

"Let them look to the past, but let them also look to the future; let them look to the land of their ancestors, but let them look also to the land of their children."

"Let them look to the past, but let them also look to the future; let them look to the land of their ancestors, but let them look also to the land of their children."

Wilfrid Laurier, Canadian Statesman

Family, Children, Future, Land, Past

93

"To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others."

"To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others."

Pope John Paul II, Polish Clergyman

Family, Children, Parents

79

"To a father growing old nothing is dearer than a daughter."

"To a father growing old nothing is dearer than a daughter."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Family, Father, Daughter, Nothing, Old

73

"Our revenge will be the laughter of our children."

"Our revenge will be the laughter of our children."

Bobby Sands, Irish Activist

Family, Children, Laughter, Revenge, Will

56

"My father was a carpenter, a very good carpenter. He also worked for the Jones boys. They were not family members, we weren't related at all. They started the policy racket in Chicago, and they had the five and dime store."

"My father was a carpenter, a very good carpenter. He also worked for the Jones boys. They were not family members, we weren't related at all. They started the policy racket in Chicago, and they had the five and dime store."

Quincy Jones, American Musician

Family, Father, Policy, Boys

56

"Somoza may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch."

"Somoza may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch."

Franklin D. Roosevelt, American President

Family, Son, May

49

"I am the son of peasants and I know what is happening in the villages. That is why I wanted to take revenge, and I regret nothing."

"I am the son of peasants and I know what is happening in the villages. That is why I wanted to take revenge, and I regret nothing."

Gavrilo Princip, Bosnian Revolutionary

Family, Son, Nothing, Regret, Revenge

44

"That surely must be a concern to anyone who decides this drug must be given to stop transmissions, again from mother to child, which is extremely costly and must be taken into account."

"That surely must be a concern to anyone who decides this drug must be given to stop transmissions, again from mother to child, which is extremely costly and must be taken into account."

Thabo Mbeki, South African Statesman

Family, Mother, Concern, Southafrican

43

"Especially moments when things are very difficult and complicated for me and I am still trying to grasp what is happening and I am still trying to understand and to reach family back home."

"Especially moments when things are very difficult and complicated for me and I am still trying to grasp what is happening and I am still trying to understand and to reach family back home."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

Family, Home, Moments, Trying

43

"Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence."

"Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Family, Children, Parents, Spirit

42

"It's a sad moment, really, when parents first become a bit frightened of their children."

"It's a sad moment, really, when parents first become a bit frightened of their children."

Ama Ata Aidoo, Ghanaian Author

Family, Children, First, Parents

40

"I was the first actress in the family, and I am still the only actress in the family. I shouldn't be saying it, but it slipped out!"

"I was the first actress in the family, and I am still the only actress in the family. I shouldn't be saying it, but it slipped out!"

Eva Gabor, Hungarian Actress

Family, First, Saying

39

"Laws are to be enforced justly but firmly, with an iron hand. This is the case anywhere, even in a family."

"Laws are to be enforced justly but firmly, with an iron hand. This is the case anywhere, even in a family."

Abu Bakar Bashir, Indonesian Activist

39

"We need to think of the future and the planet we are going to leave to our children and their children."

"We need to think of the future and the planet we are going to leave to our children and their children."

Kofi Annan, Ghanaian Statesman

Family, Children, Future

35

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me."

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me."

Jim Valvano, American Coach

34

"Soon we saw that money going to women brought much more benefit to the family than money going to the men. So we changed our policy and gave a high priority to women. As a result, now 96% of our four million borrowers in Grameen Bank are women."

"Soon we saw that money going to women brought much more benefit to the family than money going to the men. So we changed our policy and gave a high priority to women. As a result, now 96% of our four million borrowers in Grameen Bank are women."

Muhammad Yunus, Bangladeshi Economist

Family, Money, Women, Policy

34

"The trouble with us is that the ghetto of the Middle Ages and the children of the twentieth century have to live under one roof."

"The trouble with us is that the ghetto of the Middle Ages and the children of the twentieth century have to live under one roof."

Anzia Yezierska, Polish Novelist

Family, Children, Trouble

33

"Stay out of the sun, because it is the worst thing in terms of aging. I'm very medical. I come from a medical family."

"Stay out of the sun, because it is the worst thing in terms of aging. I'm very medical. I come from a medical family."

Nicole Kidman, Australian Actress

Family, Medical, Sun

31

"The clan is nothing more than a larger family, with its patriarchal chief as the natural head, and the union of several clans by intermarriage and voluntary connection constitutes the tribe."

"The clan is nothing more than a larger family, with its patriarchal chief as the natural head, and the union of several clans by intermarriage and voluntary connection constitutes the tribe."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

Family, Connection, Nothing

31

"If you like your brother and he's prospering, you'll be pleased for him."

"If you like your brother and he's prospering, you'll be pleased for him."

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahraini Statesman

Family, Brother

31

"My father was very outwardly religious."

"My father was very outwardly religious."

John McGahern, Irish Writer

Family, Father, Religious

30

"As a child I knew almost nothing, nothing beyond what I had picked up in my grandmother's house. All children, I suppose, come into the world like that, not knowing who they are."

"As a child I knew almost nothing, nothing beyond what I had picked up in my grandmother's house. All children, I suppose, come into the world like that, not knowing who they are."

V. S. Naipaul, Trinidadian Novelist

Family, Children, Nothing, World

30

"They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use, and fence their neighbors away from her, and deface her with their buildings and their refuse."

"They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use, and fence their neighbors away from her, and deface her with their buildings and their refuse."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

Family, Mother, Earth, Neighbors

30

"The family teaches us about the importance of knowledge, education, hard work and effort. It teaches us about enjoying ourselves, having fun, keeping fit and healthy."

"The family teaches us about the importance of knowledge, education, hard work and effort. It teaches us about enjoying ourselves, having fun, keeping fit and healthy."

Kamisese Mara, Fijian Statesman

Family, Work, Education, Knowledge

30

"Becoming a mother has helped make me a tougher, stronger writer."

"Becoming a mother has helped make me a tougher, stronger writer."

Jessica Hagedorn, Filipino Writer

30

"I am quite a spendthrift but just being careful because my family was not rich, was not a rich family."

"I am quite a spendthrift but just being careful because my family was not rich, was not a rich family."

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysian Politician

30

"I grew up in a very open-minded family. My father died when I was very little, so my mother was really, really incredibly busy trying to provide for us."

"I grew up in a very open-minded family. My father died when I was very little, so my mother was really, really incredibly busy trying to provide for us."

Sonia Braga, Brazilian Actress

Family, Mother, Father, Open

29

"He was not a runner, my father, but he was quick. I always remember it was very difficult to escape from him when he was angry. If he wanted to beat us he would always catch us. Even me, he could always catch me."

"He was not a runner, my father, but he was quick. I always remember it was very difficult to escape from him when he was angry. If he wanted to beat us he would always catch us. Even me, he could always catch me."

Haile Gebrselassie, Ethiopian Athlete

Family, Father, Quick

29

"So that when I came from Panama... my family was exiled in 1973 and they went to Miami."

"So that when I came from Panama... my family was exiled in 1973 and they went to Miami."

Ruben Blades, Panamanian Musician

29

"And I'm in favor of that because I have a gay son, who's a very successful theater designer."

"And I'm in favor of that because I have a gay son, who's a very successful theater designer."

Robert MacNeil, Canadian Journalist

Family, Son, Successful, Gay, Theater

28

"He said there is 80 of us, ready to come down and the next thing I knew is that Jo Brown dashed in and said your family has already moved and you have to move, the boat is ready to take you out. I didn't have time to ask, even ask a question."

"He said there is 80 of us, ready to come down and the next thing I knew is that Jo Brown dashed in and said your family has already moved and you have to move, the boat is ready to take you out. I didn't have time to ask, even ask a question."

Kamisese Mara, Fijian Statesman

Family, Time, Question

27

"I am very adamant about keeping my private life private. I don't prefer to talk about my family."

"I am very adamant about keeping my private life private. I don't prefer to talk about my family."

Luis Miguel, Mexican Musician

Family, Life, Talk

26

"I started writing movie scripts. They excited me a lot, but I didn't like them when they were finished because they were simple copies of the films I saw in childhood."

"I started writing movie scripts. They excited me a lot, but I didn't like them when they were finished because they were simple copies of the films I saw in childhood."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

Family, Childhood, Writing

26

"We have obligations towards the innocent, the dead, towards the living, towards our children and their children."

"We have obligations towards the innocent, the dead, towards the living, towards our children and their children."

Ricardo Lagos, Chilean Politician

Family, Children, Living

26

"The family was not only the social unit, but also the unit of government."

"The family was not only the social unit, but also the unit of government."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

Family, Government

26

"Of the thousands of people, celebrated and unknown, who have sat before my camera, I am often asked who was the most difficult subject, or the easiest, or which picture is my favorite. This last question is like asking a mother which child she likes the most."

"Of the thousands of people, celebrated and unknown, who have sat before my camera, I am often asked who was the most difficult subject, or the easiest, or which picture is my favorite. This last question is like asking a mother which child she likes the most."

Philippe Halsman, Latvian Photographer

Family, Mother, People, Favorite, Question

26

"I have nothing against undertakers personally. It's just that I wouldn't want one to bury my sister."

"I have nothing against undertakers personally. It's just that I wouldn't want one to bury my sister."

Jessica Mitford, American Journalist

Family, Sister, Nothing, Undertakers, Want

26

"People were incredibly kind to our family and went out of their way to help."

"People were incredibly kind to our family and went out of their way to help."

Kazuo Ishiguro, Japanese Author

Family, People, Help

25

"Family is not an important thing, it's everything."

"Family is not an important thing, it's everything."

Michael J. Fox, Canadian Actor

25

"After Babar's mother was killed by the hunter, he went to the big city."

"After Babar's mother was killed by the hunter, he went to the big city."

Jean de Brunhoff, French Writer

25

"They stayed by my side the whole time - my teammates, family and all the fans."

"They stayed by my side the whole time - my teammates, family and all the fans."

William Green, American Politician

Family, Time, Fans

25

"Dying people in pre-industrial cultures typically died in the context of an extended family, clan, or tribe."

"Dying people in pre-industrial cultures typically died in the context of an extended family, clan, or tribe."

Stanislav Grof, Czechoslovakian Psychologist

Family, People, Dying

24

"So I went to Miami in '74 with my family and while I was there it became obvious that we needed money and we needed to do something, because my family, we left without anything really, and we didn't have any money to begin with."

"So I went to Miami in '74 with my family and while I was there it became obvious that we needed money and we needed to do something, because my family, we left without anything really, and we didn't have any money to begin with."

Ruben Blades, Panamanian Musician

Family, Money, Obvious

24

"My dad and mom did what a lot of parents did at the time. They sacrificed a lot of their life and used a lot of their disposable income to make sure their children were educated."

"My dad and mom did what a lot of parents did at the time. They sacrificed a lot of their life and used a lot of their disposable income to make sure their children were educated."

Sundar Pichai, Indian Business Leader

Family, Parenting, Education, Sacrifice

24

"We are each other's seventh largest trading partner, we are the fifth largest investor there and likewise, we have a lot of exchanges between political leaders, businessmen, tourists and school children too."

"We are each other's seventh largest trading partner, we are the fifth largest investor there and likewise, we have a lot of exchanges between political leaders, businessmen, tourists and school children too."

Sellapan Ramanathan, Singaporean Statesman

Family, Children, Leaders, Politicalleaders, School

23

"We made no inquiries about India or about the families people had left behind. When our ways of thinking had changed, and we wished to know, it was too late. I know nothing of the people on my father's side; I know only that some of them came from Nepal."

"We made no inquiries about India or about the families people had left behind. When our ways of thinking had changed, and we wished to know, it was too late. I know nothing of the people on my father's side; I know only that some of them came from Nepal."

V. S. Naipaul, Trinidadian Novelist

Family, Father, People, Nothing, Thinking

23

"When my first child was born in 1962, I wrote a letter to my grandfather telling him how happy I was but how concerned; concerned because there were so many visions which were not very good."

"When my first child was born in 1962, I wrote a letter to my grandfather telling him how happy I was but how concerned; concerned because there were so many visions which were not very good."

Harri Holkeri, Finnish Politician

Family, First, Visions

22

"It is from the traditional family that we absorb those universal ideals and principles which are the teaching of Jesus, the bedrock of our religious faith. We are taught the difference between right and wrong, and about the law, just punishment and discipline."

"It is from the traditional family that we absorb those universal ideals and principles which are the teaching of Jesus, the bedrock of our religious faith. We are taught the difference between right and wrong, and about the law, just punishment and discipline."

Kamisese Mara, Fijian Statesman

Family, Faith, Discipline, Difference

22

"By 1969, when I celebrated 45 years in the music business, I also had 45 people in our musical family."

"By 1969, when I celebrated 45 years in the music business, I also had 45 people in our musical family."

Lawrence Welk, American Musician

Family, Music, Business, People

22

"Therefore, I do not wish to consider any proposition to cede any portion of our tribal holdings to the Great Father."

"Therefore, I do not wish to consider any proposition to cede any portion of our tribal holdings to the Great Father."

Sitting Bull, Lakotan Statesman

22

bottom of page