When you learn not to want things so badly life comes to you.

I never felt like I belonged in Minnesota when I was growing up there. That's why I was out the door as soon as I turned 18.

The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children.

When you learn not to want things so badly, life comes to you.

I regret those times when I've chosen the dark side. I've wasted enough time not being happy.

Moments of pure happiness...come upon you unexpectedly. Don't be too preoccupied to experience them.

Everything is transient. Everything is constantly changing. The only thing we have is now.

One of the things I love about acting is that it reveals a certain something about yourself, but it doesn't reveal your own personal story.

Don't be absent from your own life.

I've never been a sunny personality. I've never been outgoing. I'm a solitary person.

Acceptance and tolerance and forgiveness, those are life-altering lessons.

I got caught watching the one person I was supposed to not care about

One should mature over 20 years.

We have a strange illusion that mere time cancels sin. But mere time does nothing either to the fact or to the guilt of a sin.

Unfortunately, what is happening now in our central regions is evidence of this global climate change, because we have never in our history faced such weather conditions.

Riches don't respond to wishes. They respond only to definite plans, backed by definite desires, through constant persistence.

Films are artifice. We're telling stories on film. At the same time, when it works, there is a real tough immediacy and spontaneity to it, and a punch.

I started running 3 miles every morning after throat surgery to remove a cyst last year. The gym used to be my adversary. But that has all changed. Now, I look forward to it every morning.

I read pretty voraciously. If it's good, I don't care what it is.

Many a serious thinker has been produced in prisons, where we have nothing to do but think.

I'm full of clichés - I was raised by a Southern black woman and they had a saying for everything.