I see that children fill the existential hollowness many people feel; that when we have children, we know they will need us, and maybe love us, but we don't have a clue how hard it is going to be.

Gratitude, not understanding, is the secret to joy and equanimity.

I loved every second of Catholic church. I loved the sickly sweet rotting-pomegranate smells of the incense. I loved the overwrought altar, the birdbath of holy water, the votive candles; I loved that there was a poor box, the stations of the cross rendered in stained glass on the windows.

I just try to love and serve everyone, and bring everyone water, and lend an ear; that's what Jesus said to do.

A nun I know once told me she kept begging God to take her character defects away from her. After years of this prayer, God finally got back to her: I'm not going to take anything away from you, you have to give it to Me.

The reason 'help' is such a great prayer is that God is the gift of desperation. When you're in despair, you're teachable.

E-books are great for instant gratification - you see a review somewhere of a book that interests you, and you can start reading it five minutes later.