We're in the transition between birth and death. But the one that people often know about is the transition between the moment of death and whatever comes next, so reincarnation or heaven or hell.

If you bring forth what is within you, it will save you. If you do not bring it forth, it will destroy you.

I was a straight arrow, a control freak. I didn't do drugs or drink, and this was the '70s. I didn't like the loss of control. Which isn't exactly right, because I didn't know what happened when you did drugs.

It seems to me that there are certain thoughts and vignettes and attitudes that I have always had the desire to represent.

In a certain way, we're always toggling back and forth between the absolute and the relative, if that makes sense.

Toni Morrison seems to have a lot of faith in people - that's what I mean by gentle power.

From across the woods, as if by common accord, birds left their trees and darted upward. I joined them, flew amount them, they did not recognize me as something apart from them, and I was happy, so happy, because for the first time in years, and forevermore, I had not killed, and never would.