When I hear the deepest truths I speak coming out of my mouth sounding like my mother's, even remembering how I fought against her, I have to reassess both our relationship as well as the sources of my knowing.

I realize that if I wait until I am no longer afraid to act, write, speak, be, I'll be sending messages on a Ouija board, cryptic complaints from the other side

It is axiomatic that if we do not define ourselves for ourselves, we will be defined by others-for their use and to our detriment.

I am very, very happy for Alice Walker.

How much of this truth can I bear to see and still live unblinded? How much of this pain can I use?

Self-care is not about self-indulgence , it is about self-preservati on.

When we define ourselves, when I define myself, the place in which I am like you and the place in which I am not like you, I'm not excluding you from the joining - I'm broadening the joining.