“As we walked back to the car, Johnny said, "A tree's one thing, but it's a big deal when you point a gun at someone. Basically, you're giving them permission to kill you.”

“What are the rules- how long should you stay in a relationship with someone whom you don't think is quite The One? Even if you know there are things you like about them (and things that infuriate you about them), how long should you give it? Is it better to be single and waiting patiently for Mr Right, or to stay with someone because they make you laugh, because you're having fun with them, and you're still young? And anyway, aren't all relationships basically killing time until something better comes along?”

“When you're young, you make mistakes. The big thing that's different now is that when I was a kid, you could survive your mistakes. We didn't have guns. Today, kids have access to guns. The same kids that would have been in trouble and gotten a stern talking-to are now going to jail for fifteen or twenty years. Instead of bloody noses there are bodies lying in the street with chalk outlines around them. The values are basically the same, but it's easier to mess up.”

“The end of a gun looks very big and very back when it's staring you in the face.”

“When someone tells you something big, it's like you're taking money from them, and there's no way it will ever go back to being the way it was. You have to take responsibility for listening.”

“Never despise small beginnings, and don't belittle your own accomplishments. Remember them and use them as inspiration as you go on to the next thing. When you venture outside your comfort zone, wherever the starting point may be, it's kind of a big deal.”