“I'd rather take coffee than compliments just now.”

“I'd rather have it right than right now.”

“One of the things I'd learned ... was how to take a compliment. Just say, "Thank you." It's the only response a confident person can make.”

“But I'd rather help than watch. I'd rather have a heart than a mind. I'd rather expose too much than too little. I'd rather say hello to strangers than be afraid of them. I would rather know all this about myself than have more money than I need. I'd rather have something to love than a way to impress you.”

“Just don't take forever," he said as he stood. "If I've got miles of pain before me I'd rather start walking them sooner than later.”

“Well now, I'd rather have you than a dozen boys, Anne,' said Matthew patting her hand. 'Just mind you that — rather than a dozen boys. Well now, I guess it wasn't a boy that took the Avery scholarship, was it? It was a girl — my girl — my girl that I'm proud of.”