He is careful of what he reads, for this is what he will write. He is careful of what he learns, as this is what he will know. - Annie Dillard

The universe that suckled us is a monster that does not care if we live or die — it does not care if it itself grinds to a halt. It is a beast running on chance and death, careening from nowhere to nowhere. It is fixed and blind, a robot programmed to kill. We are free and seeing; we can only try to outwit it at every turn to save our lives.

You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you want to look at the stars, you will find that darkness is necessary. But the stars neither require nor demand it.

We wake, if we ever wake at all, to mystery, rumors of death, beauty, violence...