Barbara Kingsolver Quotes

Life never becomes a habit to me. It's always a marvel.

Through this experience we have been warned - learn everything, don't forget anything!

What I treasure most at any moment is intimacy, surprise, a sense of mystery, wit, depth and love. A handful of cherished friends offer me this, and the occasional singer or film-maker or artist. But my most reliable sources of electricity are Henry David Thoreau, Shakespeare, Melville and Emily Dickinson.

Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us. Let's not be afraid to receive each day's surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity.

Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise.

I never feel like I've done anything. Swear to God. I'm not kidding. So it's always a surprise when somebody asks me to do anything.

I don't bite the hand that feeds me. I'm a little smarter than that.

When it comes to awards and things like that - I don't know why - I just always sit in amazement and never really expect it.

The support from back home has been more than I ever expected. They always knew me as the lacrosse player or the girl playing field hockey. Now they're seeing me on national TV, and they've been so supportive.

A gift shouldn't feel like homework.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but I haven't quite got over the miracle that you plant things, and they do sprout up.

Granddad taught me a long time ago, act like you've been there before.

You cannot take things for granted.

I want to surprise all the fans, all the people in MLS.

We should wish for few things with eagerness, if we perfectly knew the nature of that which was the object of our desire.

Most people go through their whole lives," John went on, "and never have one miracle happen to them. You've had dozens and dozens, and you still want more! It's like God gives you a brownie, I mean a really good brownie, but you can't be content with it. You want the whole pan of brownies. Nobody gets that.

When I was young, I expected from people more than they could give: neverending friendship and constant excitement. Now I expect less than they can actually can give: to stay close silently. And their feelings, friendship, noble deeds always seem like a miracle to me: a true grace.

It is not irritating to be where one is. It is only irritating to think one would like to be somewhere else.

Each moment you are alive is a gem. It needs you to breathe gently for the miracles to be displayed.

The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.

The heavens do not send good haps in handfuls; but let us pick out our good by little, and with care, from out much bad, that still our little world may know its king.

True wisdom consists in respecting the simple things we do

Our sages of blessed memory have said that we must not enjoy any pleasure in this world without reciting a blessing. If we eat any food, or drink any beverage, we must recite a blessing over them before and after. If we breathe the scent of goodly grass, the fragrance of spices, the aroma of good fruits, we pronounce a blessing over the pleasure. The same applies to pleasures of the sight. And the same applies to pleasures of the ear.

It's hard to remember that life is a miracle. We're just living it and we forget that.

Never risk what you have and need for what we don't have and don't need.