You would be surprised what two hours of daily exercise and five hundred stomach crunches can do for you.

Inertia is so easy—don't fix what's not broken. Leave well enough alone. So we end up accepting what is broken, mistaking complaining for action, procrastinating for deliberation.

Flawed, we're truly interesting, truly memorable, and yes, truly beautiful.

From her dubious tone alone, I could see how Karin had no idea how terrifying words spoken quietly could be. How words chosen precisely to wreak maximum damage ticked like a bomb in your head, but exploded in your heart hours later, leaving you scarred and changed.

When the creative impulse sweeps over you, grab it. You grab it and honor it and use it, because momentum is a rare gift.

What was so miraculous about a relationship that was based more on my gratitude than on mutual self respect?

I hated roses. I hated them for being so trite, so clichéd, a default, all-purpose flower that said I love you, I'm sorry, and get well soon. Give me peonies and tulips, orchids or gardenia. Those were flowers with character.