I believe God is everything, say Shug. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. And when you can feel that, and be happy to feel that, you've found It.

How simple a thing it seems to me that to know ourselves as we are, we must know our mothers names.

I just really love people a lot. I really love them.

I don't focus on criticism. I prefer to praise people and the world, rather than criticize them and it.

If I could live as a tree, as a river, as the moon, as the sun, as a star, as the earth, as a rock, I would. ...Writing permits me to experience life as any number of strange creations.

No matter how hidden the cruelty, no matter how far off the screams of pain and terror, we live in one world. We are one people.

I'm for women choosing whatever they want to do but they have to really know what they are doing.