There's always failure. And there's always disappointment. And there's always loss. But the secret is learning from the loss, and realizing that none of those holes are vacuums.

If one of my kids reads a book for school and I can have a conversation with her about the book and I sense that she gets what the book is about, then it doesn't really matter to me if she gets an A on the paper.

You suffer the blow, but you capitalize on the opportunity left in its wake.

I don't look at life as a battle or as a fight. I don't think I'm scrappy. I'm accepting.

The story is a testament to the consolations that get me through and give meaning to every area of my life.

You've probably read in People that I'm a nice guy - but when the doctor first told me I had Parkinson's, I wanted to kill him.

I'm a dad, I'm a husband, I'm an activist, I'm a writer and I'm just a student of the world.