Success makes opportunities and so many of those "opportunities" are actually exemptions - from hardship, from unfriendliness, from struggle.

I tend to foster drama via bleakness. If I want the reader to feel sympathy for a character, I cleave the character in half, on his birthday. And then it starts raining. And he's made of sugar.

What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness.

What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded . . . sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly.

Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial.

Developing our sympathetic compassion is not only possible but the only reason for us to be here on earth.

According to me, your life is going to be a gradual process of becoming kinder and more loving. Hurry up. Speed it along. Start right now.

It's a big world, and I really like it.

Character is that sum total of moments we can't explain.

The generalizing writer is like the passionate drunk, stumbling into your house mumbling: I know I'm not being clear, exactly, but don't you kind of feel what I'm feeling?

Kindness, it turns out, is hard - it starts out all rainbows and puppy dogs, and expands to include . . . well, EVERYTHING.

Be gentle, always delicatewith every soulyou meet, for every single morningyou wake up, there is someoneWishing, silentlyand secretly, that theyhad not.

You need a new strategy for every new situation.

There always seem to be very rich people, no matter how poor the country, ” Thenoclon said.

Never underestimate your own ignorance.

Chocolate is not cheating! After a salty meal, you need a little bit of sweet. This is living, not cheating.

If it is permissible to write plays that are not intended to be seen, I should like to see who can prevent me from writing a book no one can read.

I don't think that I can be settled and I don't think that I would ever want to be.

The Amazon is still burning; we just don't hear the smoke detectors anymore.

Confidence is something that has developed over time which is a very positive thing to gain. Respect is also very important, both giving it and receiving it from other drivers in your team.

Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be and becoming that person.