“If the private life of the sea could ever be transposed onto paper, it would talk not about rivers or rain or glaciers or of molecules of oxygen and hydrogen, but of the millions of encounters its waters have shared with creatures of another nature.”

“There is a thin line that separates life from death, but once it's crossed, it becomes as large as an ocean, and so treacherous that it’s impossible to cross back.”

“The loss of a loved one is like the loss of a part of oneself; an arm or a leg. At first, the pain is so physical that it is hard to ignore. The trauma is so intense that the mind finds it hard to cope with the loss. With time the pain eases, the body recovers and the brain figures out new ways to go on.”

“It takes just one wave to capsize a boat, and one more to take it down.”

“There is a period for hope and one for mourning.”

“Writing is like sculpturing words out of a block of imagination. Sentences chisel the story, then characters make it their own.”

“Don't get me wrong. The good part of Mom's life was shrinking down to nothing, and the hard parts were about all that remained. So I didn't long for a cure, nor did I expect one. Those who live long die in the end. But Addie was my compass north; as long as she was around, I knew where I was, even if I was running in the opposite direction. How would I get my bearings without her?”