There are symbolic dreams-- dreams that symbolize some reality. Then there are symbolic realities -- realities that symbolize a dream. Symbols are what you might call the honorary town councillors of the worm universe. In the worm universe, there is nothing unusual about a dairy cow seeking a pair of pliers. A cow is bound to get her pliers sometime. It has nothing to do with me.

Once she was out of the car and gone, my world was suddenly hollow and meaningless.

The power to concentrate was the most important thing. Living without this power would be like opening one’s eyes without seeing anything.

When it's raining like this," said Naoko, "it feels as if we're the only ones in the world. I wish it would just keep raining so the three of us could stay together.

Whatever it is you're seeking won't come in the form you're expecting.

They sat on a park bench, held hands, and told each other their stories hour after hour. They were not lonely anymore. They had found and been found by their 100% perfect other. What a wonderful thing it is to find and be found by your 100% perfect other. It's a miracle, a cosmic miracle.

The sky grew darker, painted blue on blue, one stroke at a time, into deeper and deeper shades of night.