“Decide then as you set your jaw and clench your teeth that you will get rid of your boy. Promise yourself this. You will get rid of your boy as soon as the cocaine and money run out. Promise yourself. Try to remember the word. Promise. Swear.”

“Once you make up your mind to get rid of something, there’s very little you can’t discard. No – not very little. Once you put your mind to it, there’s nothing you can’t get rid of. And once you start tossing things out, you find yourself wanting to get rid of everything. It’s as if you’d gambled away almost all your money and decided, What the hell, I’ll bet what’s left. Too much trouble to cling to the rest”

“A promise is all about faith. a promise is only as strong as your own faith in yourself, in your own god. so when you swear, in light of your strengths and in spite of your weaknesses, to struggle and follow through, you are doing a beautiful thing. ”

“When you get rid of your fear of failure, your tensions about succeeding... you can be yourself. Relaxed. You'll no longer be driving with your brakes on.”

“When your demon was yourself, there really was no way to fight or get rid of it.”

“Don't be too eager to rid yourself of your burdens. Your burdens are what shape you.”