“Unfortunately, the feelings arrive before you’re old enough to handle them.”

“When they ask how you’re feeling, you tell them you’re feeling like something important died screaming. You tell them you’re feeling like something even more important arrived breathing, something you should probably try feeding. When they ask how you’re living, you tell them you’re living like something important died hissing. You tell them you’re living like something even more important arrived giving, something you should probably try willing.”

“I can’t believe you’re old enough to have your purpose,” Mom says with a sigh. “Makes me feel old.”“You are old.”

“Once you are born in this world you’re old enough to die.”

“It was my sister's fault. She brought...books home before I was old enough to check them out of the library myself.”

“Another little portion of the human heritage has been quietly taken from them before they were old enough to understand.”