Quotes from beth hoffman

Nineteen words I counted them. That's all he had to say to me. Nineteen meaningless little words. And that's when my father died to me--right there in the driveway.

I find all men to be very much like wearing high-heeled shoes—I love how pretty they make me feel, but by the end of the night I can't wait to get rid of them.

When we're born, the Good Lord gives each of us a Life Book. Chapter by chapter, we live and learn.

People is wise 'cause they get out in the world and live. Wisdom comes from experience--from knowin' each day is a gift and accepting it with gladness. You read a whole lot of books, and readin' sure has made you smart, but ain't no book in the world gonna make you wise.

I wonder if maybe death does that -- turns strangers into friends for a few minutes, or an hour, or maybe even a whole day.

Deep down I had the feeling that Oletta most likely knew all that was worth knowing, not in book-learning ways, but in the ways that really mattered, ways that let you hum songs during the day and sleep peacefully at night.

it occurred to me that that's what friends should do: cherish the good and pretend not to notice the harmless rest.

A bare lightbulb flickered and buzzed near the ceiling, and the odors of old age and despair spilled from the open doorways. Though I tried to keep my eyes set on the floor in front of me, I couldn't help taking a sideways glance into some of the rooms. One old lady with deep-suffering eyes reached her hand through the metal rails surrounding her bed, spread her bony fingers, and begged me to take her home. It was the saddest five seconds of my life.

Everyone needs to find the one thing that brings out her passion. It's what we do and share with the world that matters. I believe it's important that we leave our communities in better shape than we found them.

It's how we survive the hurts in life that brings us strength and gives

Look," she said, smiling out at the trees, the sky, and the birds flying by. "That's life out there. See how it's movin'? Even the leaves on the trees is movin'. Life don't wait for nobody, and even as special as you are, it ain't gonna wait for you, neither. So it's time to make up your mind that you're gonna join it.

Do something too often and it stops being special." After

Her laughter was a wondrous, liquid thing that splashed across my face, over the toes of my shoes, and into the grass.

If she's not already there, will you help her find her way to heaven? She's not very good at directions.

Don't go wastin' all them bright tomorrows you ain't even seen by hangin' on to what happened yesterday. Let go, child. Just breathe out and let go." I

Sapphire knew full well what Miz Obee was doing, but she always looked at her friend with tenderness in her eyes and pretended not to notice. As I watched this silent exchange between Sapphire and Miz Obee, it occurred to me that that's what friends should do cherish the good and pretend not to notice the harmless rest.

You can haul the girl out of the trash, but you can never haul the trash out of the girl.

Oysters are a lot like women. It's how we survive the hurts in life that brings us strength and gives us our beauty.

It's what we believe about ourselves that determine how others see us.

But lately," she said, wiggling her bare toes, "I find all men to be very much like wearing high-heeled shoes—I love how pretty they make me feel, but by the end of the night I can't wait to get rid of them.

From the highest branch he watches and waits. The horned owl keeps secrets.

People is wise 'cause they get out in the world and live. Wisdom comes from experience—from knowin' each day is a gift and accepting it with gladness. You read a whole lot of books, and readin' sure has made you smart, but ain't no book in the world gonna make you wise.

Momma had left this world and set herself free, and in doing so, she had set me free too. As much as I missed her and wished I could hear her laughter one more time, I believed she was out there in the big bright somewhere, watching me, cheering for me. Loving me.

It's how we survive the hurts in life that brings us strength and gives us our beauty.