Presents can make up for some of the disappointments that life doles out, such as it makes almost no sense and is coming to an end more quickly than ever.

Novels ought to have hope; at least, American novels ought to have hope. French novels don't need to. We mostly win wars, they lose them. Of course, they did hide more Jews than many other countries, and this is a form of winning.

...because when people have seen you at their worst, you don't have to put on the mask as much.

Rituals are a good signal to your unconscious that it is time to kick in.

Everyone is flailing through this life without an owner's manual, with whatever modicum of grace and good humor we can manage.

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.

Where do we even start on the daily walk of restoration and awakening? We start where we are.