I feel the stars. Each sparkle sets aflame the pain in my heart.

Learning is not the accumulation of knowledge, but rather, one thing only: understanding

And oh I want so much to sing, I tell myself no. But it is so hard to keep from singing.

Writing isn't just on the page; it's voices in the reader's head. Read what you write out loud to someone-anyone-and you will catch all kinds of things.

Secrets could never be rushed. They had to come of their own accord, on their own schedule. That way ,when they came , the offered themselves as a gift.

Forgiveness is a little thing when love is there.

Or, in truth, eventually, though I still noticed, the callouses on my spirit prevented wounds (p.75).

Some affixes are wildly promiscuous.

I believe we have breaks because we need them. So my suggestion is that you take the break. Eat chocolate.

Summer comes over the hill like a hairy blanket.

You have to live life if you're going to create believable lives on paper.

Previous journeys in search of treasure have taught me that a zigzag strategy is the best way to get ahead.

I went through withdrawal when I got out of graduate school. It's what you learn, what you think. That's all that counts.

You won't rise to the occasion - you'll default to your level of training.

In my entire career? I am so sick of being asked, What's it like to kiss Mel Gibson?

Compassion is a mental quality that can bring us true lasting inner peace and inner strength.

There's a ton of potential to do something absolutely loopy with a world that you create and characters that you are literally surgically constructing.

Perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.

I think that our fundamental belief is that for us growth is a way of life and we have to grow at all times.

It is my first preference to do films with social significance. Art cinema has given me credibility and status as an actor, but commercial cinema has given me a comfortable living.

Always throw your clubs ahead of you. That way you don't have to waste energy going back to pick them up.