But from a distance. I would have left you whole and wholly for the delectation of those who wanted more and cared less.

Live life as if it were created just for you.

When things were very bad his soul just crawled behind his heart and curled up and went to sleep

Always in the black spirituals there's that promise that things are going to be better, by and by.

Surviving is important. Thriving is elegant.

Oh, the holiness of always being the injured party. The historically oppressed can find not only sanctity but safety in the stateof victimization. When access to a better life has been denied often enough, and successfully enough, one can use the rejection as an excuse to cease all efforts. After all, one reckons, "they" don't want me, "they" accept their own mediocrity and refuse my best, "they" don't deserve me.

One of the problems we have as writers is we don't take ourselves seriously while writing; being serious is setting aside a time and saying if it comes, good; if it doesn't come, good, I'll just sit here.