There is incredible value in being of service to others. I think if many of the people in therapy offices were dragged out to put their finger in a dike, take up their place in a working line, they would be relieved of terrible burdens.

I hoped we never had to realize all the opportunities we missed in this life.

You must never check for a person's pulse using your thumb, or you'll feel your own heartbeat. Actually, I plan on doing that if I'm the one who's here when Ruth dies. I plan on giving her my heartbeat before I let her go.

As far as I'm concerned, the most important thing you need when inventing characters is empathy.

If I were to draw on a paper what gym does for me, I would make one dot and then I would erase it.

I would make an anonymous call and say, this is someone who cares, do you know what kind of children you have?

I cried until my eyes swelled shut, and then I slept, a black, dreamless sleep from which I awoke amazingly refreshed, at least until I remembered.