God made men by baking them in an oven, but he forgot about the first batch, and that's how Black people were born. And then he was so anxious about the next batch, he took them out of the oven too soon, so that's how White people were made. But the third batch he let cook until they were golden-golden-golden, and, honey, that's you and me.

The experience taught me to be present in the real Buddhist sense of paying attention to the moment.

That's what you need for your writing - to learn how to be present, learn how to be calm. So take that nap, do that meditation.

Being on a highway, all that speed and aggression, is very terrifying to me.

When I lost my father, I thought I learned about grief and transition. However, nobody tells you what it's like to lose your mother. They don't tell you that you're going to feel like an orphan at whatever age you are as an adult.

The TSA tears through your bags at the airport and the NSA watches what books you buy and what you say over the telephone and online. It doesn't feel like anything is private anymore.

Even if you don't believe in God, you have to believe in love.