The pain comes from knowing that we have never been safe, and therefore will never be safe again. It comes from knowing we can never be so ignorant again. It comes from knowing we can never be children again. Losing innocence. Remembering heaven. That was the essence of hell.

Libraries are magical places. There's nothing quite like strolling the hushed aisles, letting your eye rove along dimly lit shelves. Each spine, each title, seems to beckon with a promise of incredible wonders, surprises, and adventures.

Spend as much time as you can with your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open.

Going after anything worthwile in life entailed risk, of course. A man of ambition and courage didn't let that stop or delay him. A man accepted the dangers, the element of chance. If he didn't, he won nothing.

We are all dying of life.

Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.

The first treasure California began to surrender after the Gold Rush as the oldest: her land.