My Father taught me how to be a man — and not by instilling in me a sense of machismo or an agenda of dominance. He taught me that a real man doesn't take, he gives; he doesn't use force, he uses logic; doesn't play the role of trouble-maker, but rather, trouble-shooter; and most importantly, a real man is defined by what's in his heart, not his pants.
—Kevin Smith
Age is no guarantee of maturity.
—Lawana Blackwell
Adulthood isn't an award they'll give you for being a good child. You can waste... years, trying to get someone to give that respect to you, as though it were a sort of promotion or raise in pay. If only you do enough, if only you are good enough. No. You have to just... take it. Give it to yourself, I suppose. Say, I'm sorry you feel like that and walk away. But that's hard.
—Lois McMaster Bujold
When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable.
—Madeleine L'Engle
You're immature. You've been unable to adjust to the idea of war."
"Yes, sir."
"You have a morbid aversion to dying. You probably resent the fact that you're at war and might get your head blown off any second."
"I more than resent it, sir. I'm absolutely incensed."
". . . Misery depresses you. Ignorance depresses you. Persecution depresses you. Violence depresses you. . . . You know, it wouldn't surprise me if you're a manic depressive!
—Joseph Heller
It takes a certain maturity of mind to accept that nature works as steadily in rust as in rose petals.
—Esther Warner Dendel
In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play.
—Friedrich Nietzsche
I think age is a very high price to pay for maturity.
—Tom Stoppard
There are some things children cannot know, because once they learn them they are no longer children.
—Ashleigh Brilliant