The soul cannot be humbled by fasts and prayer; it must be broken by mortal sin to experience forgiveness of sin and rise to a state of grace. Otherwise, religion is nothing but dead logic.

life hurrying past us and running away, too strong to stop, too sweet to lose.

Our tree became the talking tree of the fairy tale; legends and stories nestled like birds in its branches.

Sometimes I wonder why God ever trusts talent in the hands of women, they usually make such an infernal mess of it. I think He must do it as a sort of ghastly joke.

Miracles surround us at every turn if we but sharpen our perceptions of them.

It is cremated youth. It is all yours--no one gave it to you.

"More than him has done that," said Antonia sadly, and the girls murmured assent.