Mom always said people worried too much about their children. Suffering when you are young is good for you, she said. It immunized your body and your soul.

Sometimes you need a little crisis to get your adrenaline flowing and help you realize your potential.

We laughed about all the kids who believed in the Santa Clause myth and got nothing but a bunch of cheap plastic toys. 'Years from now, when all the junk they got is broken and long forgotten,' Dad said, ' you'll still have your stars.

It's so much of what art and creativity are, being able to confront your own demons. If you can do that, you can get through just about everything.

Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more.

You didn't need a college degree to become one of the people who knew what was really going on. If you paid attention, you could pick things up on your own.

Too much hard luck can create a permanent meanness of spirit in any creature.