I like to smell things and look at things, and sometimes stay up all night, walking, and watch the sun rise.

Television is very dangerous. Because it repeats and repeats and repeats our disasters, instead of our triumphs.

Why live? Life was its own answer. Life was the propagation of more life and the living of as good a life as possible.

Don't talk about it; write.

The first thing you learn in life is you're a fool. The last thing you learn in life is you're the same fool.

What do you do, go around trying everything once?' he asked. 'Sometimes twice.

Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there.