“I know you may feel so far that circumstances have directed your path, but right now I want you to know that you do have a choice.”

“Dreams are glimpses into life’s truths.”

“I have done the merry-go-round and I have ridden the roller-coaster. I have made my choice. I choose the roller-coaster. There is more risk when you choose the roller-coaster, but at least you will know you have lived.”

“I don't know why you would even want to stay with me," I said.T.R. looked stunned for a second and then whipped her elbow into my side as hard as she could--months later it was determined that the jab cracked a rib.Oh, get fucked!" she said, jumping up. "No wonder you don't have no girlfriend if you don't have no more feelings than to say a horrible thing like that. All I want to do is love you. Ain't you even gonna let me?”

“We know You love us. We love You, too. I mean, six, seven thousand years from now . . . won't make no difference, will it? Everybody gonna be so mixed up by then that far in the future that they all gonna be the same color by then, ain't they?”

“I have discovered there are only a handful of good ideas in the whole world. You already know them. You have heard them your entire life. Here are some of the main keys to being more successful:Take personal responsibility.Things change, so be flexible.Work smart and work hard.Serve others well.Be nice to others.Be optimistic. Have goals; want something big for yourself.Stay focused.Keep learning.Become excellent at what you do.Trust your gut.When in doubt, take action.Earn all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.Enjoy all you've got.Above all keep it simple.”

“You should be proud of her. She cracked the wall, and I never thought I'd live to see it cracked."What are you talking about?" I said. "What wall?"The one you built around you," Jeannie said. "Don't say it wasn't there. It was there. I tried to crack it but I didn't have the confidence, you know? What happened is, it cracked me, but that's okay, I'm working around my crack pretty well. But you were dying behind your wall, and you're lucky to have a daughter who has the guts to crack it. I hope she smashes it to fucking smithereens and you never have another peaceful day in your whole fucking life, Mr. Deck!”