It was good, too, to remember how hard a lot of people had to work to keep a kingdom running well, and that it was simply good manners to let them know, from time to time, how valued they were.

I figured that when there's no way of knowing what the future holds it's just as easy to believe it'll be good as to believe it'll be bad.

No matter how good somebody's life looks from the outside, you can be sure there's something about it you wouldn't want to have in your life.

Just bring your wits. Sometimes that's the most effective weapon any of us has.

I know it's important to do more than just complain when there's something you don't like. You need to try to do something about it, or you're nothing but a whiner.

Nobody ever gets enough appreciation when they're behaving themselves, but there's no end to hearing about it when they're not.

And they lived happily (aside from a few normal disagreements, misunderstandings, pouts, silent treatments, and unexpected calamities) ever after.