“Do silly things. Foolishness is a great deal more vital and healthy than our straining and striving after a meaningful life.”

“Why do we so mindlessly abuse our planet, our only home? The answer to that lies in each of us. Therefore, we will strive to bring about understanding that we are--each one of us--responsible for more than just ourselves, our family, our football team, our country, or our own kind; that there is more to life than just these things. That each one of us must also bring the natural world back into its proper place in our lives, and realize that doing so is not some lofty ideal but a vital part of our personal survival.”

“If humans were to model the lifestyle displayed by healthy community of cells , our societies and our planet would be more peaceful and vital ”

“There is no parent more vulnerable to the excesses of overparenting than an unhappy parent. One of the most important things we do for our children is to present them with a version of adult life that is appealing and worth striving for.”

“They had a great deal in common, Bowman a little defiantly said. What they had in common was more vital than similar interests--it was wordless understanding and accord. It was love, the furnace into which everything is dropped.”

“Many persons grow insensibly attached to that which gives them a great deal of trouble, as a mother often loves her sick and ever-ailing child better than her more healthy offspring.”