“When we carry a safety net made of cash, we allow the one made of community to slip through our fingers.”

“We shone flashlights through our fingers to convince ourselves that we're made of blood.”

“We meant to temporarily disable her," Ian said. "Just a drop. But Natalie slipped during air turbulence. Before we could warn your nose-ringed nanny, she drenched us. Luckily, she allowed us to retrieve the antidote from our carry-on.""That's kindness," Amy said."I made them agree to give me all their cash," Nellie explained."That's bribery," Natalie grumbled.”

“On Halloween, I made us ghostsbut when we slipped on our costumes,we looked exactly the same.”

“The real safety net of life is community, family and nature.”

“Go for broke. Always try and do too much. Dispense with safety nets. Take a deep breath before you begin talking. Aim for the stars. Keep grinning. Be bloody-minded. Argue with the world. And never forget that writing is as close as we get to keeping a hold on the thousand and one things--childhood, certainties, cities, doubts, dreams, instants, phrases, parents, loves--that go on slipping , like sand, through our fingers.”