“It never seemed fair that just when you're old enough to do anything you want, you can't. You have to start working, so there's no time. And if there is time, you're not working, so there's no money.”

“The best words I ever heard about making your own reputation," Gram said, looking over her shoulder into the back seat, "is that you come into the world crying while everyone is smiling at the miracle of you, and you should live your life so when you leave it, you're smiling, but everyone else is crying because the miracle of you is gone.”

“Gwen?" "Yes.""You know why we have to be together, don't you?""...""I'm your selkie.”

“What did you say, Gram? About there being no church out here?" "I said that the sky was the roof of my cathedral and the desert was its floor and any time I paid attention, I could feel a higher power all around me.”

“Listen twice as much as you talk, since you were born with two ears and one mouth.”

“Listen, or your tongue will make you deaf.”

“And there was no way to unsay words you'd blurted out, no matter how sorry you were.”