“What are words if you really don't mean them when you say them?”

“They're just words. And words alone don't really mean anything. It's what you feel and what you believe when you say them that matter.”

“In the West "yes" is "yes" and "no" is "no." But when Arabs hear the word "no" from an American they often take it as an insult. That is because Arabs don't say the word "no" directly. Very often they say "in Shaalah" when they mean "no." In dealing with Westerners, an Arab may say "yes' when they really don't mean it, and that gets them in a lot of trouble with Westerners.”

“Words mean what you want them to mean.”

“Here," I say. "You can put music behind it, and it will be your own." And it strikes me that this is how writing anything is, really. A collaboration between you who give the words and they who take them and find meaning in them, or put music behind them, or turn them aside because they were not what was needed.”

“Words are real. Even if you can't see them, or hold them. Once you send them out in the world, they have power. Never speak words you don't mean.”