A glorious failure can sometimes be more life affirming than a cautious win.

You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight.

Until-as often happened during those first months travel, whenever I would feel such happiness-my guilt alarm went off. I heard my ex-husband's voice speaking disdainfully in my ear: So this is what you gave up everything for? This is why you gutted our entire life together? For a few stalks of asparagus and an Italian newspaper? I replied aloud to him: "First of all," I said, "I'm very sorry, but this isn't your business anymore. And secondly, to answer you question...yes.

If something is rubbing so hard against you, you can be sure it's working on you.

The gods are fond of the cryptic and dislike the evident.

Devotion is diligence without assurance

Whatever this feeling is - this is what I have been praying for. And this is also what I have been praying to.