Patti Davis Quotes

When you overcome a profound loss, or there's some catalyst in your life that shifts everything, if you're able to take it in stride and heal, it can make for much more three-dimensional and empathetic people.

My wife Cecily Adams was dying of cancer, my daughter Madeline was struggling to overcome an autism diagnosis, and my father was dying, all at the same time. Writing the journal was a cathartic experience, and an extremely positive one.

My father passed away after three years of debilitating disease, which transformed a very strong and bright man into a real wreck. And that is hard. You have to get out of that stronger, if you can, which I was lucky to be able to. I was the eldest of the family, and I had to support my mother and help my brothers.

Cancer is a very sad thing, but you can always take something from every experience.

I have a certain comfort with the darkness now because it's been so relevant in my life for so long, with my mom being sick and finally passing and the people changing as you get bigger and bigger. So 'A Certain Comfort' is about that. You can bring all the evil you want - I'ma make it disappear.

I know when my parents passed away, I wanted all the support I could get.

Be patient with yourself. Don't make the loss harder by thinking you should be a certain way, or have bounced back, etc.

My family and high school friends were the only people who were with me every step of the way through my mothers' illness. They sat by my side year after year and consoled me. If they ever sent me a bill, I would be paying them off for the rest of my life.

You can learn more from the lows than the highs. The highs are great but the lows make you really look at things in a different way and want to improve. Every player will have both in their careers and I have, but what you get is that experience which is so important to perform at your best.

My assignment is to take my situation and to use it to help others who feel hopeless and/or helpless because of loss.

But if somebody dies, if something happens to you, there is a normal process of depression, it is part of being human, and some people view it as a learning experience etc.

Death can't be so bad if mom went through it. It makes it easier for the child to follow.

Never become so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise. View life as a continuous learning experience.

That was essential to my journey: the ability to love children while simultaneously having your heart broken.

Every human being must find his own way to cope with severe loss, and the only job of a true friend is to facilitate whatever method he chooses.

I'm a much nicer person since my wife died. I found out what pain is, so on that level I'm much nicer.

I think when you suffer a tremendous loss, everybody needs love and support in tangible ways. And that's what people have done for us.

I've had all the lessons I could get. I've learned from everybody I've ever met.

In about an 18-month period, my mother got sick and died, and then I had a freak illness less than a year later and almost died myself. And I found in both of those situations that there was this expectation to have a kind of transformative experience.

'Harry Potter' changed my life in more ways than one, and it helped me get through my mother's death.

Everything is a learning experience.

Anyone who loses a parent, you have to find those parts of yourself that your parent held true in themselves, especially if they're supportive parents.

When my mother died, my father was in a crisis, my sister was in a crisis, everyone was in a crisis. I went round the night my mother was lying in the kitchen, and I organised everything, from the undertaker to the funeral... I looked after everybody, I sorted it all out and I've done so ever since.

I've got over so much. Mum wouldn't want anything to come into my life that would make me fragile again.

It's important to wallow and grieve when you have a health issue. I don't think you really get the best stuff out of life until you've had the worst stuff.