Some mysteries are simply irresistible,” she said. “They have components that alter a life.

There is one purpose to life and one only: to bear witness to and understand as much as possible of the complexity of the world -- its beauty, its mysteries, its riddles. The more you understand, the more you look, the greater is your enjoyment of life and your sense of peace. That's all there is to it. Everything else is fun and games. If an activity is not grounded in "to love" or "to learn" it does not have value.

The truth is most women are weak, be they mortal or immortal. But when they are strong, they are absolutely unpredictable.

To learn and to love, that is what we are here for, any activity which is not grounded in one of these two is a waste of time.

And this lesson about mortal peace of mind I never forgot. Even if a ghost is ripping a house to pieces, throwing in pans all over, pouring water of pillows, making clocks chime at all hours, mortal will accept almost any "natural explanation" offered, no matter how absurd, rather than the obvious supernatural one, for what is going on.

I don't believe in hell. The idea that a supreme being would make hell is ridiculous. An eternity of pain that results in no learning, reformation or rebirth is a nauseating idea. It's one of the reasons I left Christianity. I simply could not accept that version of God.

God, what is it like to be You and hear all those people all the time everywhere, begging, imploring, calling out for anything and anyone?