Here are the two best prayers I know: 'Help me, help me, help me,' and 'Thank you, thank you, thank you.' A woman I know says, for her morning prayer, 'Whatever,' and then for the evening, 'Oh, well,' but has conceded that these prayers are more palatable for people without children.

Without using the word, everyone started forgiving each other again. Just like that, from the no of all nothingness: you have a big tense mess and out of it comes some joy. It must be magic.

Becoming a writer is about becoming conscious.

Summer nearly does me in every year. It's too hot and the light is unforgiving and the days go on way too long.

I am going to try to pay attention to the spring. I am going to look around at all the flowers, and look up at the hectic trees. I am going to close my eyes and listen.

You just have to keep getting out of your own way so that whatever it is that wants to be written can use you to write it.

...the three things I cannot change are the past, the truth, and you.