For a long time, I thought I was ugly and disfigured. This made me shy and timid, and I often reacted to insults that were not intended.

But it ain't easy, trying to do without God even if you know he ain't there, trying to do without him is a strain

I'm not convinced that women have the education or the sense of their own history enough or that they understand the cruelty of which men are capable and the delight that many men will take in seeing you choose to chain yourself - then they get to say 'See, you did it yourself.'

Anybody can observe the Sabbath, but making it holy surely takes the rest of the week.

It's so important to unclutter the mind. For me, creativity is greatly impeded just by the chatter and visual clutter of life. It's really important to have a space that is really clear for whatever is emerging to come.

I feel a little peculiar around the children. For one thing, they grown. And I see they think me and Nettie and Shug and Albert and Samuel and Harpo and Sofia and Jack and Odessa real old and don't know much what going on. But I don't think us feel old at all. And us so happy. Matter of fact, I think this the youngest us ever felt.

'Thank you' is the best prayer that anyone could say.