It is the final proof of God's omnipotence that he need not exist in order to save us. - Peter De Vries

He takes satisfaction in having quite lived by his stoic creed: give what you can and take what comes. Concession not freely given is in the end forcibly extracted anyway. For we are all swimmers ephemerally buoyed by what will engulf us at the last; still dreaming of islands though the mainland has been lost; swept remorselessly out to sea while we spread our arms to the beautiful shore.

Nostalgia, as his Uncle Joshua had said, ain't what it used to be.

Man is vile, I know, but people are wonderful.