"Living in a rural setting exposes you to so many marvelous things - the natural world and the particular texture of small-town life, and the exhilarating experience of open space."

"What's funny is that the idea of popularity - even the use of the word 'popular' - is something that had been mostly absent from my life since junior high. In fact, the hallmark of life after junior high seemed to be the shedding of popularity as a central concern."

"My ace in the hole as a human being used to be my capacity for remembering birthdays. I worked at it. Whenever I made a new friend, I made a point of finding out his or her birthday early on, and I would record it in my Filofax calendar."

"Every corny thing that's said about living with nature - being in harmony with the earth, feeling the cycle of the seasons - happens to be true."

"When purpose is clear, every obstacle transforms into a stepping stone. A lesson woven into the fabric of human history — an essential principle for the reflective life."

"Wisdom principle 69 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 70."

"Wisdom principle 103 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 13."

"Revolutions are not about trifles, but they spring from trifles."