Confidence is the mark of a hopeful disposition.

People who are sick, or who have been sick, or have come close to death have a lot to say - and they want you to hear it.

Making your life is ultimately an extraordinarily creative endeavor.

Suddenly in high school, I'm in a predominantly Jewish atmosphere. Jewish people were my gate to white America.

I think we can learn a lot about a person in the very moment that language fails them. In the very moment they they have to be more creative than they would have imagined in order to communicate. It's the very moment that they have to dig deeper than the surface to find words, and at the same time, it's a moment when they want to communicate very badly. They're digging deep and projecting out at the same time.

I happen to be a hopeaholic. I tend to look at problems as an opportunity to do some work.

Self-esteem does not come from surrounding yourself with people and things that seem to increase your value. Real self-esteem is an integration of an inner-value with things in the world around you.