Beyond the pain, life continues to be sweet. The basics are still there. Beauty, food and friendship, reservoirs of love and understanding. Later, possibly not yet, you are going to need others who will encourage you to make new beginnings. Welcome them. They will help you move on, to cherish happy memories and confront the painful ones with more than bitterness and anger.

It was good and nothing good is ever lost.

She put out her hand and touched his forearm, as she would have touched some piece of porcelain or sculpture, just for the sheer animal pleasure of feeling its shape and curve beneath her fingertips.

The greatest gift a parent can leave a child is that parent's own independence.

I wasn't good enough. I had a little talent but not enough. There is nothing more discouraging than having just a little talent.

And the wicked thing is, that when we're really upset, we always take it out on the people who are closest and whom we love the most.

She believed, of course ... because without something to believe in, life would be intolerable.