I could never work out whether we were to view religion as a life-insurance policy or a life sentence.

The most assiduous task of parenting is to divine the difference between boundaries and bondage.

Wake up now, look alive, for here is a day off work just to praise Creation: the turkey, the squash, and the corn, these things that ate and drank sunshine, grass, mud, and rain, and then in the shortening days laid down their lives for our welfare and onward resolve. There's the miracle for you, the absolute sacrifice that still holds back seed: a germ of promise to do the whole thing again, another time. . . Thanksgiving is Creation's birthday party. Praise harvest, a pause and sigh on the breath of immortality.

It's as if cats live in a seperate universe that takes up the same space as ours, but is full of facinating things like mice or sparrows or special TV programs that we can't see.

The friend who holds your hand and says the wrong thing is made of dearer stuff than the one who stays away.

The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words.

But children robbed of love will dwell on magic.