Acceptance is not a talent you either have or don't have. It's a learned response. My meditation teacher made a great point about the difference between a reaction and a response: You may not have control over your initial reaction to something, but you can decide what your response will be. You don't have to be at the mercy of your emotions, and acceptance can be your first step toward empowerment . . . For me, acceptance has been the cornerstone to my having an emotionally healthy response to my illness.

The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.

I believe in being fully present. That means you should be with the person you’re with.

What's wrong with being number two?

If we can remember the feeling of love we once had, we can die without ever going away.

For me, living means I can be responsive to the other person. It means I can show my emotions and my feelings. Talk to them. Feel with them.

We have a sense that we should be like the mythical cowboy... able to take on and conquer anything and live in the world without the need for other people.