She say, Celie, tell the truth, have you ever found God in church? I never did. I just found a bunch of folks hoping for him to show.

My mother was very strong. Once, she picked up a coconut and smashed it against my father's head. It taught me about women defending themselves and not collapsing in a heap.

Whoever you are, whatever you are, start with that, whether salt of the earth or only white sugar.

The nature of this flower is to bloom.

Ignorance, arrogance, and racism have bloomed as Superior Knowledge in all too many universities.

Our mothers and grandmothers ... moving to music not yet written.

The forest is the first cathedral. I felt that from the time I was a child. I credit my mother with that. I used to think it came from her Native-American side. Whichever it was, she instinctively connected with nature, and taught me that.