The fundamental mistake I had always made - and that she had, in fairness, always led me to make - was this: Margo was not a miracle. She was not an adventure. She was not a fine and precious thing. She was a girl.

Maybe life is not about accomplishing some bullshit markers.

Being a person, I had come to realize, is a communal activity. Dogs know how to be dogs. But people do not know how to be people unless and until they learn from other people.

By the power of the superglue beer sword, I designate you my driver!

You know, like when you look in the mirror and the thing you see is not the thing as it really is.

Stop thinking about the landing, because it's all about falling.

We don't suffer from a shortage of metaphors . . . But you have to be careful which metaphor you choose, because it matters.