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

Dad was a philosopher and had what he called his Theory of Purpose, which held that everything in life had a purpose, and unless it achieved that purpose, it was just taking up space on the planet and wasting everybody's time.

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.

Nobody's perfect. We're all just one step up from the beasts and one step down from the angels.

Anyone who thinks he's too small to make a difference has never been bit by a mosquito

Horses are a mirror of who you are. They're emotionally dependent on you.