From a very young age my mother persuaded me that I could write for fun, but I had to have a proper job - very good advice.

She always had that about her, that look of otherness, of eyes that see things much too far, and of thoughts that wander off the edge of the world.

Happiness. Simple as a glass of chocolate or tortuous as the heart. Bitter. Sweet. Alive.

It isn't just a village. The houses aren't just places to live. Everything belongs to everybody. Everyone belongs to everyone else. Even a single person can make a difference.

I let it go. It's like swimming against the current. It exhausts you. After a while, whoever you are, you just have to let go, and the river brings you home.

A man may plant a tree for a number of reasons. Perhaps he likes trees. Perhaps he wants shelter. Or perhaps he knows that someday he may need the firewood.

I've never been very good at leaving things behind. I tried, but I have always left fragments of myself there too, like seeds awaiting their chance to grow.

I have an advanced degree in procrastination and another one in paranoia.

Some people spend the whole of their lives sitting waiting for one train, only to find that they never even made it to the station.

Life is what you celebrate. All of it. Even its end.

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

I’m so glad to hear you are a reader, and you found these books to help you work through things on your own.

I told myself, Malala, you have already faced death. This is your second life. Don't be afraid — if you are afraid, you can't move forward.

Children are nothing but a problem people create and then congratulate themselves on solving.

What I love about doing my concerts is always feeding off the fans and their energy.

Blondes make the best victims. They're like virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints.

There are only three ways a congressman goes out: They die in office, they cash in as a lobbyist, or they mistakenly tweet a picture of their d*ck.

Make yourself an efficient spark plug, igniting the latent energy of those about you.

Strive for excellence in few things, rather than good performance in many.

Through teaching myself how to be happy and get through things, I hope I can also do that for other people.

Hit hard, hit fast and hit often