On the care and feeding of ideas

"Anyone who does things carelessly also learns to talk carelessly. But careless, unclear, inexact talk drags into its carelessness and unclarity an idea. My very dear, dear children: don't let yourselves think carelessly. An idea is God's gift and it needs to be taken care of. To be clear in one's ideas, and to be responsible for them, is a token of spiritual freedom and intellectual joy."

From Florensky, Pavel. "My Will." Quoted in Florensky, Iconostasis.