Mothers support certain illusions about their children, and one of my illusions was that I liked who I was, because she did. When she passed away, so did that idea.

So many times I feel I'm using the same words over and over, like a woman wearing the same dress every day. So boring!

It's nice that you spend a day with your mother,' she said. "Children should do it more often.

Everyone is in such a hurry. People haven’t found meaning in their lives, so they’re running all the time looking for it. They think the next car, the next house, the next job. Then they find those things are empty, too, and they keep running. Once you start running, it’s hard to slow yourself down.

If you could pack for heaven, this was how you'd do it, touching everything, taking nothing.

You can know the whole world and still feel lost in it.

if you find one true friend in your life, you're richer than most. If that one true friend is your husband, you're blessed." She paused. "And if that one true friend is your sister, don't feel bad. At least, she can't divorce you.