In the end, we all lose it. Remember that. In the end, we own nothing.

Roses can grow in slums just as weeds can grow around mansions.

The idea of being a novelist is really romantic, but it's kind of the same as being president of the United States - it's not gonna happen.

Everyone has problems. It's how you choose to deal with them. Some people choose to be whiners some choose to be winners. Some choose to be victims some choose to be victors.

Psychologists tested the story of the Good Samaritan. What they learned gives us reason to pause. The greatest determinant of who stopped to help the stranger in need was not compassion, morality, or religious creed. It was those who had the time. Makes me wonder if I have time to do good.

The smells of Christmas are the smells of childhood [p. 53]

Sometimes, when tragedy strikes, people give up hope that they can expect anything more from life, when the real quest is finding out what life expects from them.