Everybody is so terribly sensitive about the things they know best. Norton Juster More Quotes by Norton Juster More Quotes From Norton Juster I know one thing for certain; it is much harder to tell whether you are lost than whether you were lost, for, on many occasions, where you are going is exactly where you are. On the other hand, if you often find that where you've been is not at all where you should have gone, and, since it's much more difficult to find your way back from someplace you've never left, I suggest you go there immediately and then decide. Norton Juster should-havehandsway What you learn today, for no reason at all, will help you discover all the wonderful secrets of tomorrow. Norton Juster secrethelpingtoday What you can do is often simply a matter of what you will do. Norton Juster phantom-tollboothmattercan-do Why, can you imagine what would happen if we named all the twos Henry or George or Robert or John or lots of other things? You'd have to say Robert plus John equals four, and if the four's name were Albert, things would be hopeless. Norton Juster fourwould-benames But I could never have done it," he objected, "without everyone else's help." "That may be true," said Reason gravely,"but you had the courage to try; and what you can do is often simply a matter of what you will do. Norton Juster donemaytrying Expectations is the place you must always go to before you get to where you're going. Of course, some people never go beyond Expectations, but my job is to hurry them along whether they like it or not. Norton Juster expectationsjobspeople Why not? That's a good reason for almost anything - a bit used perhaps, but still quite serviceable. Norton Juster phantom-tollboothwhy-notreason if something is there, you can only see it with your eyes open, but if it isn't there, you can see it just as well with your eyes closed. That's why imaginary things are often easier to see than real ones. Norton Juster eyereallife Perhaps someday you can have one city as easy to see as Illusions and as hard to forget as Reality. Norton Juster citiesforgetreality There are no wrong roads to anywhere. Norton Juster wrong-road I remember when I was a kid in school and teachers would explain things to me about what I read, and I'd think, Where did they get that? I didn't read that in there. Later you look at it and think, That's kind of an interesting idea Norton Juster teacherkidsschool I think kids slowly begin to realize that what they're learning relates to other things they know. Then learning starts to get more and more exciting Norton Juster realizingkidsthinking I write best in the morning, and I can only write for about half a day, that's about it. Norton Juster halfwritingmorning Is everyone who lives in Ignorance like you?" asked Milo. "Much worse," he said longingly. "But I don't live here. I'm from a place very far away called Context. Norton Juster far-awaylike-youignorance To a child, and to an adult, too, what you discover by yourself, or what you think you discover by yourself, is what stays. Norton Juster naturechildrenthinking And that's why people no longer care which words they use as long as they use lots of them. Norton Juster uselongpeople ...it's just as bad to live in a place where what you do see isn't there as it is to live in one where what you don't see is. Norton Juster I never knew words could be so confusing," Milo said to Tock as he bent down to scratch the dog's ear. "Only when you use a lot to say a little," answered Tock. Milo thought this was quite the wisest thing he'd heard all day. Norton Juster scratchesconfusingdog He paused again as a tear of longing rolled from cheek to lip with the sweet-salty taste of an old memory. Norton Juster tearssweetmemories They walked for a while, all silent in their thoughts, until they reached the car and Alec drew a fine telescope from his shirt and handed it to Milo. "Carry this with you on your journey," he said softly, "for there is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye. Through it you can see everything from the tender moss in a sidewalk crack to the glow of the farthest star — and, most important of all, you can see things as they really are, not just as they seem to be. It's my gift to you. Norton Juster starseyejourney
