Whom do I write for? I write for the story. Each story, it seems to me, knows best how it should be told. As I once put my ear to the railroad track, I listen now for the voice of my story. Jerry Spinelli More Quotes by Jerry Spinelli More Quotes From Jerry Spinelli She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. Jerry Spinelli cactus tomorrow today She might be pointing to a doorway, or a person, or the sky. But such things were so common to my eyes, so undistinguished, that they would register as "nothing" I walked in a gray world of nothing. Jerry Spinelli eye sky world In that moonlit hour, I acquired a sense of the otherness of things. I liked the feeling the moonlight gave me, as if it wasn't the opposite of day, but its underside, its private side, when the fabulous purred on my snow-white sheet like some dark cat come in from the desert. Jerry Spinelli cat dark opposites The blanket was there, but it was the boy's embrace that covered and warmed him. Jerry Spinelli blanket embrace boys Every child's bedroom is as important as a telescope orbiting the planet earth or a philosopher's study. Jerry Spinelli important earth children Heart and head are contrary historians. Jerry Spinelli head-and-heart historian heart The flash would prove that proton decay really happens. The flash would mean that the matter of the proton - the solid stuff - had turned into the energy of the flash (E-mc2). Totally. Nothing left behind. No ash. No smoke. No smell. Nada. One moment it's there, the next moment - pffft - gone. What would it mean? Only this: Nothing lasts. Nothing. Because everything that exists is made of protons. Jerry Spinelli smell energy mean Great achievement goes through, not around, discouragement. Is there a roadblock in my way, keeping me from something I want to achieve? Am I discouraged? I understand now that discouragement often precedes achievement. Instead of retreating from the roadblock or seeking a way around it, I will boldly punch a hole through it and continue toward my goal. Jerry Spinelli achievement goal want Life is populated with scarecrows—all those people and things that seem so scary and trouble our sleep. Isn't it nice to know that most of them turn out to be made of nothing but straw? Jerry Spinelli nice sleep people Did I ever tell you my pet peeve?' No,' I said. People who dress up their pets to look like Little Lord Fauntleroys or cowboys, clowns, ballerinas. As if it's not enough just to be a dog or cat or turtle. Jerry Spinelli cowboy cat dog Love is big. Love makes room for conflicting feelings. Jerry Spinelli feelings love-is rooms And smiles to go before I weep, And Smiles to go before I weep. Jerry Spinelli Who are you?' I didn't understand the question. I'm Uri', he said. 'What's your name?' I gave him my name. 'Stopthief. Jerry Spinelli milkweed names said If I get a new idea today—or any day—I won't run from it. I won't trash it. If it's something I really want to do—I'll do it. Jerry Spinelli want running ideas He tapped my chest. 'Happy is here.' He tapped his own chest. 'Here.' I looked down past my chin. 'Inside?' 'Inside.' It was getting crowded in there. First angel. Now happy. It seemed there was more to me than cabbage and turnips. Jerry Spinelli cabbage angel past Cross the creek on the stepping stones of your failures. Jerry Spinelli creeks stepping-stones stones He doesn't think. He just does. A nonthinking doer. Jerry Spinelli doers doe thinking This was the ghetto: where children grow down instead of up. Jerry Spinelli ghetto grows children Who doesn't love a compliment? But every compliment comes with a warning: Beware—Do Not Overuse. Go ahead, sniff your compliment. Take a little sip. But don't chew, don't swallow. If you do, you risk abandoning the good work that inspired the compliment in the first place. If that happens, maybe it was the compliment and not the job well done that you were aiming for all along. Jerry Spinelli risk done jobs Or maybe you’re merely uncomfortable with uncertainty. Like the rest of the human race. Jerry Spinelli uncomfortable humans race
