In A Course Of A Lifetime, What

I Cannot Just Write A Frivolous Book, A La-di-da Book. Everything Isn't La-di-da. There Is Something That's Going To Pull You Up Short. I Want To Reassure Young Readers. I Want To Comfort Them, To Not Fear The Unexpected.

Being A Mother Is Like Trying To Hold A Wolf By The Ears,” Gram Said. “if You Have Three Or Four –or More – Chickabiddies, You’re Dancing On A Hot Griddle All The Time. You Don’t Have Time To Think About Anything Else. And If You’ve Only Got One Or Two, It’s Almost Harder. You Have Room Left Over – Empty Spaces That You Think You’ve Got To Fill Up.

You Know, Maybe That's All Anybody Wants, Is To Be Useful. And Have Somebody Else Notice It.

I Don't Remember Titles Of Books Or Authors From When I Was Young. I Remember The Title Of Only One Book, Which Was 'the Timber Toes.' I Remember It Was A Family Of Little Wooden People Who Lived In The Woods, And For Some Reason That Stayed With Me.

I Prayed To Trees. This Was Easier Than Praying Directly To God. There Was Nearly Always A Tree Nearby.