[after a long argument about society and my idealistic nature]
"You'll be disappointed with the world," he said to me as I patiently sipped my coffee.
I looked up and smiled.
"All it takes is a change of perspective. The beauty of idealism is everything is possible. You have no limits; no boundaries. Happiness is actually attainable... With realism, you oftentimes set yourself up for disaster, especially emotionally. And, when things fail to turn out the way you had hoped for, rather than moving forward, many dwell in their dilemmas... drowning in a pool of negativity."
"You're going to realize this whole world is a mess..."
"I already know, sir. This world is certainly a mess... a beautiful, unpredictable mess."

and I walked away.