“There is no beauty in sadness. No honor in suffering. No growth in fear. No relief in hate. It’s just a waste of perfectly good happiness.”

“Having love and not giving it is just as difficult as not having love and needing it”

“Writing to impress others is the surest path to pretentious mediocrity.”

“The Four Stages of Writer’s BlockW.B. Stage I: I want to write but I can’t.W.B. Stage II: I have to write but I can’t. W.B. Stage I: I don’t want to write but I have to.W.B. Stage I: I don’t have time for writing … and, honestly, I don’t feel like writing.”

“Being safe doesn't mean you won't be sorry.”

“Be nice to your children. They may grow up to be writers.”

“Poetry is a connection to a change within you.”

“As we change, our writing changes too. You cannot write the same poem twice. And that's a good thing.”

“The practice of forgiveness is very much like the practice of meditation. You have to do it often and persist at it in order to be any good.”

“Learning to live on less pride has been a great investment in my future.”

“The ultimate goal of writing is forgiveness.”