The truth is, when our mothers held us, rocked us, stroked our heads -none of us ever got enough of that. We all yearn in some way to return to those days when we were completely taken care of - unconditional love, unconditional attention. Most of us didn't get enough.

With endless time, nothing is special. With no loss or sacrifice, we can’t appreciate what we have

Things change when you're not in danger anymore.

but then she did. she died. no more visits, no more phone calls. And without even realizing it, I began to drift, as if my roots had been pulled, as if I were floating down some side branch of a river.

...if you're trying to show off for people at the top, forget it. They will look down on you anyhow. And if you're trying to show off for people at the bottom, forget it. They will only envy you. Status will get you nowhere. Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone.

We all lose somebody we care about and want to find some comforting way of dealing with it, something that will give us a little closure, a little peace.

The basis of everything, of all knowledge, is the ability to read.