There is no denying it, our past stinks and seeps into our present. Occasionally I get such a potent whiff of history that my mind spins and my stomach lurches.

Your mother wasn’t upset. “Scars stay with you so you don’t forget, ” she said. She seemed almost satisfied.

I struggle to discover what these silent sons of mine want, but words have always failed me. They are sullen even as they tell me they are okay. I know they are lying but there is nothing I can do.

The first sound a child hears is very important. It determines character. A Muslim child always hears the Azan first. Words in praise of God. Words to live by.

Difficulties were fires. If you kept them in check, you could learn from them. You simply had to know how to fan them the right way.

They want me to contain the raging fires within me. They need me to appreciate glowing embers, to understand that even weak flames need to be managed with a lot of careful planning.

But what is the point of buying vegetables in plastic bags? Everything from the supermarket smells of plastic. Everything from the market smells like it’s supposed to.

That which is cool is driven by the soul.

He laid his head on Reid's shoulder and shut his eyes, buoyed toward sleep by the affectionate comb of fingers through his hair. He could stay just so, and be content for all his days.

Whoever wishes peace among peoples must fight statism.

The reason we constantly discover new truth in Shakespeare is that his complete understanding of the particular includes the universal.

There are no absolutes in raising children. In any stressful situation, fathering is always a roll of the dice. The game may be messy, but I have never found one with more joys and rewards.

I personally believe that professional athletes should give back to their communities in any way possible. We are in a position to make a difference.

In the love of a brave and faithful man there is always a strain of maternal tenderness; he gives out again those beams of protecting fondness which were shed on him as he lay on his mother's knee.

Erratum. In my article on the Price of Milk, 'Horses' should have read 'Cows' throughout.

In L.A., I like to surf. I went through a phase - I was surfing four days a week. I'm still not good at it; I still spend most of my time falling.

I used to think that having lots of friends meant that you were happy. That's really not true. Having the right friends means that you're happy.