“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

“Love is that condition in the human spirit so profound that it allows me to survive, and better than that, to thrive with passion, compassion, and style.”

“Certainly survival is important - very important - but at some point surviving wasn't enough. I felt ready to complete my surviving journey and start thriving and just living.”

“Some of us, I imagine, write out of anger; some out of pain; some write out of prejudice or loss, some out of passion, the promise of something better, perhaps the belief that—even now—a book can be capable of changing a life. Some of us write to remember, some to forget; some to change things, some to ensure things stay the same. Some of us—as my editor and agent will all too easily testify—write because we cannot stop.”

“It is characteristic of all deep human problems that they are not to beapproached without some humor and some bewilderment.”

“Why is life so difficult for some people and not for others?Why do some people have to struggle so much?”