It began in mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between.

Who would drink from a cup when they can drink from the source?

Success produces success, just as money produces money.

If cynicism is inevitable as one ages, so is the yearning for innocence. To children heaven is being an adult, and to adults heaven is being children again.

Which is crueler, an old man's lost memories of a life lived, or a young man's lost memories of the life he meant to live?

Our relationship with nature has changed radically, irreversibly, but by no means all for the bad. Our new epoch is laced with invention. Our mistakes are legion, but our talent is immeasurable.

We tend to think of heroes only in terms of violent combat, whether it's against enemies or a natural disaster. But human beings also perform radical acts of compassion; we just don't talk about them, or we don't talk about them as much.