Creative listeners are those who want you to be recklessly yourself, even at your very worst, even vituperative, bad-tempered. They are laughing and just delighted with any manifestation of yourself, bad or good. For true listeners know that if you are bad-tempered it does not mean that you are always so. They don't love you just when you are nice; they love all of you.

We are too ready (women especially) not to stand by what we have said or done.

It is so conceited and timid to be ashamed of one's mistakes. Of course they are mistakes. Go on to the next.

If we don't act at all (express our imaginings either in work or a changing personality, so that we can learn and think again something better) we certainly rot.

... to paint with oil paints for the first time ... is like trying to make something exquisitely accurate and microscopically clear out of mud pies with boxing gloves on.

the death of any loved parent is an incalculable lasting blow. Because no one ever loves you again like that.

When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand. Ideas actually begin to grow within us and come to life.