TV happens. And once it's happened, it's gone. When it's gone, you move on, no tears, no tantrums, no videotape

Do not read beauty magazines. They only make you feel ugly.

Books are like blankets, the mere sight of them around the house provides warmth and comfort. They are like mirrors, too, reflecting places I've been, phases I've been through, people I've loved or thought I did.

Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good.

I couldn't have foreseen all the good things that have followed my mother's death. The renewed energy, the surprising sweetness of grief. The tenderness I feel for strangers on walkers. The deeper love I have for my siblings and friends. The desire to play the mandolin. The gift of a visitation.

Getting out of the house is the secret to staying alert through the droning hours leading up to the big meal, even if you don't go farther than 7-Eleven for another six-pack.