There are no bystanders in this life. — Sonia Sotomayor

Without question, so many people, throughout my life, never think of Puerto Rico as part of the United States. — Sonia Sotomayor

I stand on the shoulders of countless people, yet there is one extraordinary person who is my life aspiration. That person is my mother, Celina Sotomayor. — Sonia Sotomayor

I’ve spent my whole life learning how to do things that were hard for me. — Sonia Sotomayor

It would take me most of my life to feel remotely put together, and it’s still an effort. — Sonia Sotomayor

Mistakes are a part of being human. Precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it’s a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from. — Al Franken

Although I grew up in very modest and challenging circumstances, I consider my life to be immeasurably rich. — Sonia Sotomayor

This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it’s a constant battle in your life. — Sonia Sotomayor

Same way I have my entire life. Keep my family and friends close. My Latino friends close. I visit the island [Puerto Rico] as often as I humanly can. — Sonia Sotomayor

Dressing badly has been a refuge much of my life, a way of compelling others to engage with my mind, not my physical presence. Page. 283 — Sonia Sotomayor

There is–I mean–I found early in life that righteous indignation is a little off–putting, and so I try to couch it with humor. — Al Franken

I have ventured to write more intimately about my personal life than is customary for a member of the Supreme Court, and with that candor comes a measure of vulnerability. — Sonia Sotomayor

My diabetes is such a central part of my life… it did teach me discipline… it also taught me about moderation… I’ve trained myself to be super–vigilant… because I feel better when I am in control. — Sonia Sotomayor

There are no bystanders in life […] Our humanity makes us each a part of something greater than ourselves. — Sonia Sotomayor

My parents didn’t make a lot of money. My dad was not a high school graduate–he didn’t have a career as such; he was a printing salesman essentially for most of his working life. — Al Franken

You make your life choices understanding that you might and do have to work harder to prove yourself. — Sonia Sotomayor

I have come to believe that in order to thrive, a child must have at least one adult in her life who shows her unconditional love, respect, and confidence. — Sonia Sotomayor

Technology is an incredible tool–it connects people to each other, creates jobs all over the world, and makes life easier for millions of Americans. — Al Franken

I didn’t know I had a sense of limitation until I got into the greater world. — Sonia Sotomayor

If you look at terrorists, they really have no sense of humor. — Al Franken

Bob Dole used to be really funny. Barney Frank can be kind of funny. Bob Kerrey has a good sense of humor. — Al Franken

There’s an appeal to the American sense of exceptionalism, that we’re morally superior, as way to not be self–critical. I think that’s a bit dangerous. — Al Franken

The dynamism of any diverse community depends not only on the diversity itself but on promoting a sense of belonging among those who formerly would have been considered and felt themselves outsiders. — Sonia Sotomayor

I hope in my book [My Beloved World], that the sense that I really feel connected comes through. — Sonia Sotomayor

Service dogs raise their masters’ sense of well–being. — Al Franken

It’s easier to put on slippers than to carpet the whole world. — Al Franken

When you come from a background like mine, where you’re entering worlds that are so different than your own, you have to be afraid. — Sonia Sotomayor

My mom loved the book [My beloved world] and she said to me, ‘I never knew you had done so much.’ — Sonia Sotomayor

I was aware that my nomination was drawing a lot of attention, particularly in the Latino world, not just in Puerto Rico. It was touching. — Sonia Sotomayor

As you discover what strength you can draw from your community in this world from which it stands apart, look outward as well as inward. Build bridges instead of walls. SPRING — Sonia Sotomayor

I strive never to forget the real world consequences of my decisions on individuals, businesses and government. — Sonia Sotomayor

Well, I think that there’s a value to comedy in and of itself. — Al Franken

You cannot value dreams according to the odds of their coming true. The real value is in stirring within us the will to aspire. — Sonia Sotomayor

Much of the uncertainty of law is not an unfortunate accident: it is of immense social value. — Sonia Sotomayor

People lucky enough to live in the vicinity of an industrial hog farm are, with each breath, made keenly aware of the cause of their declining property values. — Al Franken

I savor life. When you have anything that threatens life… it prods you into stepping back and really appreciating the value of life and taking from it what you can. — Sonia Sotomayor

I do have a self–censor; everybody does, or at least most who are not pathological do. — Al Franken

The best I could say about third grade was that it was a more or less continuous state of dread. — Sonia Sotomayor

I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences. Today is one of those experiences. — Sonia Sotomayor

This wealth of experiences, personal and professional, have helped me appreciate the variety of perspectives that present themselves in every case that I hear. — Sonia Sotomayor

I have had positive experiences with cameras. When I have been asked to join experiments using cameras in the courtroom, I have participated; I have volunteered. — Sonia Sotomayor

Experience has taught me that you cannot value dreams according to the odds of their coming true. Their real value is in stirring within us the will to aspire. — Sonia Sotomayor

Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences, our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging. — Sonia Sotomayor

Personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see. — Sonia Sotomayor

A]lthough wisdom is built on life experience, the mere accumulation of years guarantees nothing. — Sonia Sotomayor

I do believe that every person has an equal opportunity to be a good and wise judge regardless of their background or life experiences. — Sonia Sotomayor

Since I have difficulty defining merit and what merit alone means–and in any context, whether it’s judicial or otherwise–I accept that different experiences in and of itself, bring merit to the system. — Sonia Sotomayor

In my experience when a friend unloaded about a boyfriend or spouse, the listener soaked up the complaint and remembered it long after the speaker had forgiven the offense. — Sonia Sotomayor

I would hope that a wIse latIna woman wIth the rIchness of her experIences would more often than not reach a better conclusIon than a whIte male who hasn’t lIved that lIfe. — Sonia Sotomayor

In the wider context, what I believe I was–the point I was making was that our life experiences do permit us to see some facts and understand them more easily than others. — Sonia Sotomayor

I’m part of the mushball middle. I consider ‘confused’ the majority position because, thankfully, most people would rather be uncertain some of the time than 100% positive all the time–even when they’re wrong. — Al Franken

You can’t say: This much love is worth this much misery. They’re not opposites that cancel each other out; they’re both true at the same time. — Sonia Sotomayor

A career is something that you train for and prepare for and plan on doing for a long time. — Sonia Sotomayor

My dad didn’t graduate from high school, ended up being a printing salesman, probably never made more than $8,000 a year. My mom sold real estate and did it part time. — Al Franken

To have a romance, you have to have time. I’m a justice. I’ve written a book. The guy’s gonna have to wait until I’m a little bit freer. — Sonia Sotomayor

I do think there is a value in the services of judges for long periods of time. — Sonia Sotomayor

It is my fondest wish that in the fullness of time, the American people will look back on the Franken presidency as something of a mixed bag and not as a complete disaster. — Al Franken

Each time I see a split infinitive, an inconsistent tense structure or the unnecessary use of the passive voice, I blister. — Sonia Sotomayor

If the issue is letting the states experiment and letting the society have more time to figure out its direction, why is taking a case now the answer? — Sonia Sotomayor