Sisters never quite forgive each other for what happened when they were five.

Brooks too wide for our leaping, hedges far to high. Loads too heavy for our moving, burdens too cumbersome for us to bear. Distances far beyond our journeying. The horse gave us mastery.

From serenity comes gentleness, comes lasting strength.

You are asleep. Deep, deep asleep - and then the world caves in. The cat has leapt from the top window onto your stomach. He is saturated. He is hungry. He taps you into full wakefulness with a sodden paw "Could you open a can?"

Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, singers of songs.

A dog wakens your heart to joy and companionship.

In a world gone bad, a bear - even a bear standing on its head - is a comforting, uncomplicated, dependable hunk of sanity.