“You know, it’s interesting. Children learnmuch more, far more quickly than adults. Do you know why that is?”Elizabeth assumed there was some scientific explanation for it, butshook her head.“Because they’re open-minded. Because they want to know and theywant to learn. Adults”—he shook his head sadly—“think they know it all.They grow up and forget so easily instead of opening their minds, they choosewhat to believe and what not to believe. You can’t make a choice on things likethat, you either believe or you don’t. That’s why their learning is slower. Theyare more cynical, they lose faith, and they only demand to know things thatwill help them get by day by day. They’ve no interest in the extras. But, Elizabeth,”he said, his voice a loud whisper, eyes wide and sparkling, and Elizabethshivered as goose pimples rose on her arms. She felt as if he were sharingthe world’s greatest secret with her.“It’s the extras that make life.”“That make life what?” she whispered.He smiled. “That make life.”Elizabeth swallowed the lump in her throat. “That’s it?”Ivan smiled. “What do you mean, that’s it? How much more can youget than life, how much more can you ask for than life? That’s the gift. Lifeis everything, and you haven’t lived it properly until you believe.”

“...children learn much more, far more quickly than adults. Do you know why that is? Because they're open-minded. Because they want to know and they want to learn. Adults, think they know it all. They grow up and forget so easily and instead of opening their minds and developing it they choose what to believe and what not to believe. You can't make a choice on things like that: you either believe or you don't. That's why their learning is slower. They are more cynical, they lose faith and they demend to know things that will help them get by day by day. They've no interest in the extras...It's the extras that make life.”

“Children are the ones that know exactly what's going on in the world, you know. They 'see' more than adults, 'believe' in more, are honest, and will always, 'always' let you know where you stand.”

“You've come to give me a piece of your mind, I repeated, looking at her. "You know that phrase is really beautiful. The mind is the most powerful thing in the body, you know, whatever the mind believes, the body can achieve. So to give someone a piece of it...well, thank you, Elizabeth. Funny how people are always intent on giving it to the people they dislike when it really should be for the ones they love. There's another funny thing. But a piece of your mind...what a gift that would be." I looped the last stalk and formed a chain. "I'll give you a daisy chain in return for a piece of your mind." I slid the bracelet onto her arm.She sat on the grass. Didn't move, didn't say anything, just looked at her daisy chain. Then she smiled and when she spoke her voice was soft. "Has anyone ever been mad at you for more than five minutes."I looked at my watch. "Yes. You, from the o'clock this morning until now.”

“I also believe that when people are going through difficult situations in life... it causes them to search a lot more. They search life and search their soul. When you’re searching, you’re suddenly a lot more open to the world around you, to the possibilities, to things you never thought about before. — When you’re happy, you don’t question the world so much. When you’re lost, you question everything. The very reason why it is so essential to human self-discovery”

“What is it with science these days? Everyone is so quick to believe in it, in all these new scientific discoveries, new pills for this, new pills for that. Get thinner, grow hair, yada, yada, yada, but when it requires a little faith in something you all go crazy.' He shook his head, 'If miracles had chemical equations then everyone would believe.”

“Life is everything, and you haven't lived it properly until you believe.”