Of course you keep telling yourself there's something to be learned from everything, and growing old shouldn't be that hard. That's the general drift.

In everybody’s life there’s a point of no return. And in a very few cases, a point where you can’t go forward anymore. And when we reach that point, all we can do is quietly accept the fact. That’s how we survive.

What’s more, you’re loads better than you think you are.” “So why is it I get to thinking that way?” I puzzled. “That’s because you’re only half-living.” she said briskly. “The other half is still untapped somewhere.

What we needed were not words and promises but a steady accumulation of small realities.

Start making excuses and there's no end to it. I can't live that kind of life.

The most important thing we learn at school is the fact that the most important things can't be learned at school.

According to Chekhov," Tamaru said, rising from his chair, "once a gun appears in a story, it has to be fired." "Meaning what?" "Meaning, don't bring unnecessary props into a story. If a pistol appears, it has to be fired at some point. Chekhov liked to write stories that did away with all useless ornamentation.