And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery.

Sometimes we reveal ourselves when we are least like ourselves.

I take pleasure in my transformations. I look quiet and consistent, but few know how many women there are in me.

The impetus to grow and live intensely is so powerful in me I cannot resist it. I will work, I will love my husband, but I will fulfill myself.

What we call our destiny is truly our character and that character can be altered. The knowledge that we are responsible for our actions and attitudes does not need to be discouraging, because it also means that we are free to change this destiny. One is not in bondage to the past, which has shaped our feelings, to race, inheritance, background. All this can be altered if we have the courage to examine how it formed us. We can alter the chemistry provided we have the courage to dissect the elements.