“It would be so simple if we could approach people we cared for without any past so we could see them without any coloration.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Human memory is long; it’s after all what bring us together, what causes that peculiar tingling, sometimes, when we first meet, like a faint but unmistakable brush of recognition – of what? An aura. It has many names. It exists, invisible but unallayed for all that.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“We’re brought up with a kind of romanticism that’s so fake it leads us astray. Falling in love and marriage is forever. The movies, then TV told us that even – especially – the commercials. We’re electronic babies now. So then we pass out of the “us” and into the “I” – what do you do when the “us” doesn’t work and the “I” is far too lonely?” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“That’s all life is anyway. It’s one great search for whatever it is we want: love, money, fame, recognition, security – all of those things. It’s the degree of importance which vary in each individual.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“One cannot learn wisdom by sitting at another’s feet. One must live one’s own life, make one’s own mistakes, feel one’s own ecstasy to learn true meaning of existence, for it is different in each individual. Fall down, get up, do it all over again in another context. Experience. And learn. That is the only way.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Memory is selective, not history. We are what we are. You can’t arbitrarily excise the bad, pretend it never existed.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“All things may be possible, one way or another.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“There are times when only the impatient are rewarded.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Talking was always better than not talking; that was a fundamental underpinning to all human relationships.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“To abandon duty is to destroy that which makes any individual unique and capable of prodigious feats. Duty is the essence of life. It is the only thing over which death has no dominion. It is true immortality.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Meticulous planning was essential, however, one always had to build into one’s plans a bit of leeway because events had a peculiar way of determining themselves.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“People often lived their lives, or at least a good part of them, out of weakness. It was what made them human, what made them vulnerable; what made them interesting.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“When one is able to see the matrix from which a precious stone is taken, one is invariably better able to judge the quality of that stone.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Disguising one’s face was all well and good but there were myriad ways one could be identified by an expert. One had to be as meticulous about all parts of the body as one was about the face – the overall image. A disguise had to be total. One needed only the slightest alterations, however, because the idea was camouflage and it did not do to overdo specific characteristics.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“The most formidable of disguises could be betrayed by the peculiar manner in which on individual walked, the gait as singular as fingerprints.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Acceptance of karma should not be confused with fatalism. We are all, to a great extent, masters of our own fate. But also we must learn to bow before the inevitable: this is the true meaning of acceptance and it is only this which brings the harmony without which life is not really worth living.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“How one died was recorded by history and one was remembered as much for the manner of one’s death as for one’s life.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Money was merely the sere gateway to power and power, well, all that was good for was maneuverability. Once you could maneuver in this atom age, you could accomplish anything.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Relationships are based on respect – mutual respect. With that comes trust. And obligation.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“People are complex. They need getting to know. Seeping in. Patience.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“It is totally unreasonable to expect to know or understand everything about yourself. The human being is such a complex animal that we have to be content to muddle through things as best as we can. Some days, it just doesn’t seem nearly enough.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“If you want something badly enough, then you must do it. Those who sit and wish for things accomplish nothing.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“All those assholes who tell you that money hasn’t changed ‘em are full of shit. Of course, it has. They just like to stare at illusions they build for themselves.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Money’s a funny thing. Most people who don’t have it want it very badly. But the ones who have it, if they have any sense at all, know what a fantastic burden it is.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“The idea is to confuse the enemy. It’s an ancient form of strategy in kenjustu and on the battlefield. Use different forms of attacks; attack from different sides. While your enemy is wondering what you are up to, you attack decisively and he’s defeated.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Man is notorious for inventing creatures to explain away the otherwise unexplainable.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“Once you gave anyone information of any kind, you risked giving them an advantage.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
“It is a bad idea to rely too heavily on one discipline or one strategy set. This quickly becomes ingrained and one’s thinking stagnates. Rely only on the situation that presents itself. If you let notions of strategy dictates to you, you will surely be defeated.” ~~ Eric Van Lustbader (Book: The Ninja)
Hope you enjoyed reading this collection of quotes.
