Life there was hard and it made people hard.

Mom also hinted a couple of times that it was good I was going to college, since with one failed marriage behind me, I 'd have trouble landing a good husband and would need something to fall back on. "A package that's been opened once doesn't have the same appeal".

I hadn’t been paying much attention to things like the sunrise, but that old sun had been coming up anyway. It didn’t really care how I felt, it was going to rise and set regardless of whether I noticed it, and if I was going to enjoy it, that was up to me.

She never felt sorry for herself, and that was something I decided I admired most in people.

Sometimes you have to get sicker before you can get better.

Years from now, when all the junk they got is broken and long forgotten, you'll still have your stars.

Don't be afraid of your dark places. ... If you can shine a light on them, you'll find treasure there.