[Optimism] acts as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You can't prepare for everything life's going to throw at you. And you can't avoid danger. It's there. The world is a dangerous place, and if you sit around wringing your hands about it, you'll out on all the adventure.

Mom always said people worried too much about their children. Suffering when you're young is good for you, she said. It immunized your body and your soul, and that was why she ignored us kids when we cried. Fussing over children who cry only encouraged them, she told us. That's positive reinforcement for negative behavior.

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.

I lived in a world that at any moment could erupt into fire. It was the sort of knowledge that kept you on your toes.

If you want to be treated like a mother, act like one.

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