I decided I would fill the emptiness in me with God and with paint.

I told him I had once lost everything I had, too, and that I think that can be God’s way of building walls around us to force us to look up at Him.

And so I just kept writing to myself.

Unfortunately, he still hadn’t asked for my number, or a date, or my hand in marriage, and my drink was getting low.

I didn’t answer. We were not buddies. We could not chat about the proximity of our offices, or football, or forgiveness.

The voice sang on, “I am ready, I am ready, I am fine. I am fine, I am fine, I am fine.” I played it again. I was not fine.

Each guy stamped the passport of my heart. “You’re worthy.” Stamp. “You’re enough.” “You have not failed completely.” Stamp, stamp.

I remembered learning from my favorite professor at Belmont to “surround yourself with people who are better than you, ” and I was now living that mantra.

I used to cover my windows in heavy curtains, never drawn. Now I danced in the sunlight on my hardwood floors.

That’s how it felt – that the loss of him had a life of its own. I lived with it as I could have lived with him. Some nights it was quiet and sometimes it pounded on my door.

But I tended not to date men who ever showed up for me.

TEAMWORK: the fuel that allows common people attain uncommon results.

And this is the final meaning of work: the extension of human consciousness. The lesser meaning of work is the achieving of self-preservation.

They talk about Amen Corner but there's so much more to it than what meets the eye on this golf course.

It is not much trouble to doctor sick folks, but to doctor healthy ones is troublesome.

I always have a pair of Ray-Bans in my bag and lots of pairs at home because they seem to go missing. They're a real staple.

I've never been in style, so I can't go out of style.

I worked hard learning harmony and theory when I was growing up in Chicago in the 1920s.

Behind every great woman is a great behind!

Riches are well, if gotten well and spent well.

Art is making something better without knowing what better is until you make it.