Studying the history of magic, you learn that a. you can tell a lot about a culture from the sorts of things they felt the need to ward against, and b. people were a lot more concerned about the possibility of being struck by lightning than you’d expect based on the statistical likelihood of that happening.
“Go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”
“-Harry: I always thought you were the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.
-Marion: Really?
- Harry: Ever since I first saw you.
- Marion: That’s nice Harry. That makes me feel really good. You know other people have told me that before and it was meaningless.
- Harry: Why? Because you thought they were pulling your leg?
- Marion: No, no, not like that. I mean. I don’t know. I don’t know or even care if they were. Just from them it was… just meaningless, you know? When you say it, I hear it. I really hear it.”
