[T]he race is long - to finish first, first you must finish. - Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain

"He died that day because his body had served its purpose. His soul had done what it came to do, learned what it came to learn, and then was free to leave."

"Inside each of us resides the truth, I began, the absolute truth. But sometimes the truth is hidden in a hall of mirrors. Sometimes we believe we are viewing the real thing, when in fact we are viewing a facsimile, a distortion."

"There is no dishonor in losing the race. There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose."

"To separate oneself from the burden, the angst, the anguish that we all encounter everyday. To say I am alive, I am wonderful, I am. I am. That is something to aspire to."

"We too, must shatter the mirrors. We must look in to ourselves and root out the distortions until that thing which we know in our hearts is perfect and true, stands before us."