“The attempt to prevent our kids from struggling for fear it might scar their permanent records is, instead, scarring them for life.”

“Our own egos are so fragile we cannot bear to give our lives to the raising of children only to have them become ordinary people. There, I said it. The worst thing a 21st-century child of interesti...”

“Did you notice there arent any average kids anymoreonly Gifted and Disposable?”

“We fluff them and fold them and nudge them and enhance them and bind them and break them and embellish them beyond measure; then, as we drive them up to the college interviews that theyve heard sin...”

“America is a young country, young and brash and prone to errors. Like teenagers. For all our inherent goodness, weve been cursed with bright, shiny object disease and we dont want a cure. Not now. ...”

“When God says hold up, wait, pray, its not your time yet, our entire bodies rebel, legs kicking and flailing like some overturned dung beetle certain that if we try hard enough we might be able to ...”

“No matter what gifts you have, practice is the only way to get better at anything."If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery it would not seem so wonderful at all - Michael Angelo”

“You're gorgeous, you old hag, and if I could give you just one gift ever for the rest of your life it would be this. Confidence. It would be the gift of confidence. Either that or a scented candle”

“Time is a precious gift.”

“Prayer becomes religious when you try use it for something God never intended.”

“Each and every prayer is a tiny piece of a great cosmic puzzle, which when fitted together will allow for the completion of the grand picture of the Almighty Lord's plan for humanity and the universe.”

“How silly of us to think we can hide from God. How insane of us to think our thoughts are private, dont you know that nothing is hidden? And what is it that you are hiding from anyway, your light, ...”

“Each day brings new opportunities, allowing you to constantly live with lovebe there for othersbring a little light into someone's day. Be grateful and live each day to the fullest.”

“Got no checkbooks, got no banks. Still I'd like to express my thanks - I've got the sun in the mornin' and the moon at night.”

“Be consistent in your dedication to showing your gratitude to others. Gratitude is a fuel, a medicine, and spiritual and emotional nourishment.”