There are those who do not hold that there is any innate goodness to mankind. To them I say, had you lived my life, you would not believe it. I have known the depths to which mortals are capable of descending, and I have seen the heights. I have seen how kindness and compassion may grow in the unlikeliest of places, as the mountain flower forces its way through the stern rock.

It is a fine line, in all of us, between civilization and savagery. To any who think they would never cross it, I can only say, if you have never known what it is to be utterly betrayed and abandoned, you cannot know how close it is.

Are you a minor character in my tale, or am I a lesser figure in yours?

If you thought better of me, you would not be so surprised

Even a stunted tree reaches for sunlight.

All knowledge is worth having

What's the point of being a grown-up if you can't indulge the kid inside you every now and then?