"Life is beautiful in spite of everything! … There are many thorns, but the roses are there too."  --Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky

"Even though Tchaikovsky frequently lamented his “wearing, maddening depression,” perhaps most remarkable yet quintessentially human about his disposition was the ability to assure his loved ones of the very things he was unable to internalize himself — for who among us hasn’t found that it is far easier to offer light to our dearest humans in situations that leave our own inner worlds shrouded in impenetrable darkness?"  --Maria Popova