While she cut the mushrooms, she cried more than she had at the grave, the most so far, because she found the saddest thing of all to be the simple truth of her capacity to move on.

I want to be violated by insight.

We're all getting too smart. Our brains are just getting bigger and bigger, and the world dries up and dies when there's too much thought and not enough heart.

It is so often surprising, who rescues you at your lowest moments.

Many kids, it seemed, would find out that their parents were flawed, messed-up people later in life, and I didn't appreciate getting to know it all so strong and early.

As a writer you ask yourself to dream while awake.

Light is good company, when alone; I took my comfort where I found it, and the warmest yellow bulb in the living-room lamp had become a kind of radiant babysitter all its own.

…kissing George was a little like rolling in caramel after spending years surviving off rice sticks.

...a Dorito asks nothing of you, which is its great gift. It only asks that you are not there.

Mom flipped through the magazines like the pages needed to be slapped.

I admired that stride; it was like he folded space in two with it.

I know the well of my maternal incompetence is deep but I am determined to siphon up a calm and breathing hope for him.

To every rule there is an exception—and an idiot ready to demonstrate it. Don't be the one!

Sad Patience, too near neighbour to despair.

Prayer is the most concrete way to make our home in God.

All my big heroes are literary, writers.

What is a throne? A chair; ornamented but a poisonous chair!

There is absolutely nothing that beats hard work.

Americans understand that our security is enhanced when the United States is trusted and respected in the world.

When the wine is ready, that's when we'll drink.

Civilizations come and go; they conquer the earth and crumble into dust; but faith survives every desolation.