To say that one quote out of all that I've fallen in love with is my favorite would not be just. I find new ones and reclaim old loves too often for that. There's something in words that changes with your mood, they are always recreating themselves when you're not listening.

#1 (not ranked, just as they come)

The Road Goes Ever On by J.R.R. Tolkien is one of my favorites to mutter to myself:

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say."

It's so hobbity I can't help but love it. The idea of going out for a walk (walking stick in hand, of course) and venturing wherever the road leads. Eagerly pursuing what's ahead. There are also two other versions of the poem later on in the story and the sense of change over them is fantastical!

#2 (easily could have been #1 or #3)

I'm unsure of the actual authorship of this quote, although I see it being attributed to both John Adams and Joel Barlow:

"Washington's sword would have been wielded in vain had it not been supported by the pen of Paine."

Words shape the world we live in. Intellectual discussion is one of my favorite activities and great thinkers can affect political policies (although not as often as should be), however, what Paine did in bringing intellectualism to the common man is how change is truly affected. Besides, doesn't it have a nice ring to it?

#3 (rankless)

This next quote isn't exact; it is mostly a re-creation or summary of what I took the meaning to be. My dad is always giving advice on life, which I only recently learned to recognize for the display of love that it is. This next bit of wisdom is from him:

"You are a work of art, go forth and create yourself."

If you were given a Van Gogh, you would be careful about the placement. You would painstakingly keep it out of direct sunlight and ensure that the humidity was not too high. However, unlike a Van Gogh, you are not a finished product. There are years, perhaps even decades, of your life left during which time you will continue to create the final product. If you want more time to perfect the final image, you will need to make sure that you don't get too much sun. It's also important that you get enough water, and nutrients. Afterall, part of the beauty is found in the continuation of life. As one view of personal identity goes, you are your whole life.