68 Quotes & Sayings By Leo Buscaglia

...the opposite of love is not hate -- it's apathy. It's not giving a damn. If somebody hates me, they must "feel" something ... or they couldn't possibly hate. Therefore, there's some way in which I can get to them. Leo Buscaglia

There are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our encouragement, who will need our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Leo Buscaglia

Even after centuries of human interacting, children still continue to rebel against their parents and siblings. Young marrieds look upon their in-laws and parents as obstacles to their independence and growth. Parents view their children as selfish ingrates. Husbands desert their wives and seek greener fields elsewhere. Wives form relationships with heroes of soap operas who vicariously bring excitement and romance into their empty lives. Workers often hate their bosses and co-workers and spend miserable hours with them, day after day. On a larger scale, management cannot relate with labour. Each accuses the other of unreasonable self-interests and narrow-mindedness. Religious groups often become entrapped, each in a provincial dogma resulting in hate and vindictiveness in the name of God. Nations battle blindly, under the shadow of the world annihilation, for the realization of their personal rights. Members of these groups blame rival groups for their continual sense of frustration, impotence, lack of progress and communication. We have obviously not learned much over the years. We have not paused long enough to consider the simple truth that we humans are not born with particular attitudinal sets regarding other persons, we are taught into them. We are the future generation's teachers. We are, therefore, the perpetrators of the confusion and alienation we abhor and which keeps us impotent in finding new alternatives. It is up to us to diligently discover new solutions and learn new patterns of relating, ways more conducive to growth, peace, hope and loving coexistence. Anything that is learned can be unlearned and relearned. In this process called change lies our real hope. Leo Buscaglia

There comes a time in some relationships when no matter how sincere the attempt to reconcile the differences or how strong the wish to recreate a part of the past once shared, the struggle becomes so painful that nothing else is felt and the world and all its beauty only add to the discomfort by providing cruel contrast. Leo Buscaglia

Loving relationships, though necessary for life, health, and growth, are among the most complicated skills. Before we can be successful at achieving relationships, it is necessary that we broaden our understanding of how they work, what they mean and how what we do and believe can enhance or destroy them. We can accomplish this only if we are willing to put in the energy and take the time to study failed relationships as well as examine successful ones. Loving relationships cannot be taken lightly. Unless we are looking for pain, they must not be forever approached in a trial and error fashion. Too many of us have experienced the cost of these lackadaisical approaches in terms of tears, confusion and guilt. Leo Buscaglia

....though modern Marriage is a tremendous laboratory, its members are often utterly without preparation for the partnership function. How much agony and remorse and failure could have been avoided if there had been at least some rudimentary learning before they entered the partnership.... And that statement is equally valid for all relationships. Leo Buscaglia

I believe that you control your destiny, that you can be what you want to be. You can also stop and say, 'No, I won't do it, I won't behave his way anymore. I'm lonely and I need people around me, maybe I have to change my methods of behaving, ' and then you do it. Leo Buscaglia

When man has love he is no longer at the mercy of forces greater than himself, for he, himself, becomes the powerful force Leo Buscaglia

Education should be the process of helping everyone to discover his uniqueness." -Leo Buscaglia (1924-1998) Leo Buscaglia

Man created words to free himself Leo Buscaglia

Live, love and learn Leo Buscaglia

Love and self are one and the discovery of either is the realization of both Leo Buscaglia

To love oneself is to struggle to rediscover and maintain your uniqueness Leo Buscaglia

Don't hold to anger, hurt or pain. They steal your energy and keep you from love. Leo Buscaglia

I have a very strong feeling that the opposite of love is not hate – it’s apathy. It’s not giving a damn. Leo Buscaglia

Our talents are the gift that God gives to us... What we make of our talents is our gift back to God Leo Buscaglia

Don't walk in my head with your dirty feet. Leo Buscaglia

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. Leo Buscaglia

We all fear what we don't know-it's natural. Leo Buscaglia

Why do some people always see beautiful skies and grass and lovely flowers and incredible human beings while others are hard-pressed to find anything or any place that is beautiful? Leo Buscaglia

Relish love in your old age! Aged love is like aged wine it becomes more satisfying more refreshing more valuable more appreciated and more intoxicating! Leo Buscaglia

A loving relationship is one in which the loved one is free to be himself - to laugh with me but never at me to cry with me but never because of me to love life to love himself to love being loved. Such a relationship is based upon freedom and can never grow in a jealous heart. Leo Buscaglia

Happiness and love are just a choice away. Leo Buscaglia

When we feel joyful euphoric happy we are more open to life more capable of seeing things clearly and handling daily tensions. Leo Buscaglia

Nine times out of ten when you extend your arms to someone they will step in because basically they need precisely what you need. Leo Buscaglia

Every day we are offered new means for learning and growing in love. Leo Buscaglia

There are two big forces at work external and internal. We have very little control over external forces such as tornadoes earthquakes floods disasters illness and pain. What really matters is the internal force. How do I respond to those disasters? Over that I have complete control. Leo Buscaglia

Education should be the process of helping everyone to discover his uniqueness. Leo Buscaglia

The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another's smile at someone and receive a smile in return are to me continual spiritual exercises. Leo Buscaglia

Perfect love is rare indeed - for to be a lover will require that you continually have the subtlety of the very wise the flexibility of the child the sensitivity of the artist the understanding of the philosopher the acceptance of the saint the tolerance of the scholar and the fortitude of the certain. Leo Buscaglia

Love is always bestowed as a gift - freely willingly and without expectation. We don't love to be loved we love to love. Leo Buscaglia

I have too much respect for people to try to control them. But they are estranged from love, afraid to reach out and touch one another. We're afraid to appear sentimental or speak in platitudes because people will say, 'What a jerk! ' It takes courage in our culture to be a lover. Leo Buscaglia

The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another's, smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises. Leo Buscaglia

Love is life. And if you miss love, you miss life. Leo Buscaglia

I have a very strong feeling that the opposite of love is not hate - it's apathy. It's not giving a damn. Leo Buscaglia

Love is always bestowed as a gift - freely, willingly and without expectation. We don't love to be loved; we love to love. Leo Buscaglia

We all need each other. Leo Buscaglia

I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things... I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind. Leo Buscaglia

I have been a teacher myself all my life. I have an intense passion to share with people. Our only salvation is in knowledge, in learning. Leo Buscaglia

I am a teacher. And I think I am a serious one who happens to be enjoying life. Leo Buscaglia

Don't brood. Get on with living and loving. You don't have forever. Leo Buscaglia

Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong. Leo Buscaglia

Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste time... It tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other. Leo Buscaglia

The minute we stop learning, we begin death, the process of dying. We learn from each other with every action we perform. We are teaching goodness or evil every time we step out of the house and into the street. Leo Buscaglia

What we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our willingness to choose life. Leo Buscaglia

It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them. Leo Buscaglia

Food is celebratory. People who don't cook don't know how much fun they're missing. Leo Buscaglia

Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God. Leo Buscaglia

A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world. Leo Buscaglia

When we sit at the table, there is more going on than satisfying hunger. It is sad to think of those who eat simply to satisfy their hunger and who do not permit themselves to linger under the many spells offered by a good meal - the satisfaction of our hearts, our minds and our spirits. Leo Buscaglia

If I don't have wisdom, I can teach you only ignorance. Leo Buscaglia

Don't smother each other. No one can grow in the shade. Leo Buscaglia

What love we've given, we'll have forever. What love we fail to give, will be lost for all eternity. Leo Buscaglia