Hubert Horatio Humphrey, US Vice President (1911-1978)

The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life -- the sick, the needy and the handicapped. -Hubert Horatio Humphrey, US Vice President (1911-1978)

Very true, but this doesn't equate to taking care of all their needs, but rather ensuring the structures necessary for the natural, organic supports that they need, i.e., enabling communities of mutual care.

Jane Smiley, novelist (b.1949)

You know what getting married is? It's agreeing to taking this person who right now is at the top of his form, full of hopes and ideas, feeling good, looking good, wildly interested in you because you're the same way, and sticking by him while he slowly disintegrates. And he does the same for you. You're his responsibility now and he's yours. If no one else will take care of him, you will. If everyone else rejects you, he won't. What do you think love is? Going to bed all the time? -Jane Smiley, novelist (b.1949)

Excellent!

Leo Tolstoy, novelist and philosopher (1828-1910)

Death destroys the body, as the scaffolding is destroyed after the building is up and finished. And he whose building is up rejoices at the destruction of the scaffolding and of the body. -Leo Tolstoy, novelist and philosopher (1828-1910)

Good one!

Werner Makowski, banker (b. 1929)

The worst kind of people are those who confuse kindness for weakness. -Werner Makowski, banker (b. 1929)

Especially when they confuse an inclination toward kindness within themselves as weakness and therefore eschew it.