A person without her or his own truth ain't a person at all, Ida said. Anybody who tells you different—is a jackass, and no longer deserves to be called human being.

— Tom Spanbauer

Books are in the mind, Grandfather Alessandro said. Too many books and you forget your body is in the world.

— Tom Spanbauer

Every time you hear a car alarm, Ruby said, another New Yorker has gone to hell.

— Tom Spanbauer

Felt good, though, just being what I was.

— Tom Spanbauer

God made man because he loves to hear stories, Alessandro said. That's a good story, huh?

— Tom Spanbauer

Have some fun while you wait for the will of heaven.

— Tom Spanbauer

Identity is your role in life, the part you play. Individuality is who you are, and who you are is revealed to you if you can get to complete presence.

— Tom Spanbauer

I tell you I'm tired of hearing it. There ain't nothing that happens to a person that ain't that person. The world out there only does what you tell it to do. The world is happening to you the way it is happening because you're telling yourself the story that way. If you want to change the world so damn bad, Ida, then where you got to start is how it is you're looking at it.

— Tom Spanbauer

I was wounded by a blow of love.

— Tom Spanbauer

Life is absolutely, mysteriously beautiful.

— Tom Spanbauer