Home > Author > Gail Tsukiyama
21 " Sometimes things don’t work out as they’re planned, and there have to be sacrifices in order to make things better again. "
― Gail Tsukiyama , Women of the Silk (Women of the Silk #1)
22 " Nothing ever stands still, and neither should you. "
23 " Success is not handed to you. You must work hard for it and you must never dishonor what you’ve achieved. "
― Gail Tsukiyama , The Street of a Thousand Blossoms
24 " We live a short enough time on this earth. A man should do what he loves. "
25 " Wei cleared his throat and said, “Have you heard the saying `The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water molds itself to the pitcher’? It seems I’ve been the pitcher most of my life. I’ve forgotten how to be fluid. It feels as if I’m finally learning now,” he said. "
― Gail Tsukiyama , A Hundred Flowers
26 " What wars really destroyed were families. "
27 " The garden is a world filled with secrets. Slowly, I see more each day. The black pines twist and turn to form graceful shapes, while the moss is a carpet of green that invites you to sit by the pond. Even the stone lanterns, which dimly light the way at night, allow you to see only so much. "
― Gail Tsukiyama , The Samurai's Garden
28 " Just remember that life is made up of change. We can’t run away from it. "
― Gail Tsukiyama , The Language of Threads (Women of the Silk #2)
29 " ...I learned that beauty exists where you least expect to find it. "
30 " The things you remember about a person when they're gone are funny. No two people will feel the same way, though usually it has to do with scent, or expression, the sound of a voice, an unusual gesture. For me, I can still see the colors of Keiko; the black of her hair against creamy pale skin, her dark blue kimono with white circles, the deep orange persimmons falling from the brown basket she carried. The ache in my heart grows larger every time I think of these colors, and how as each day passes they continue to fade from my eyes. "
31 " We’re stepping into a new world, and an entire way of thinking must be changed. But the old ideas can’t be easily discarded. Like a pendulum, new ways must swing to the other side before returning. "
32 " To be noble,. . .was to account for the life you lived, to always account for your mistakes, and to have dignity and worth. "
33 " Fear seems to be the ruling judge. "
34 " Sometimes the house is so quiet I feel like the only noise that fills my mind is what I've created myself. Remembered conversations come back to me as if my friends and family were right here in the room. "
35 " Don’t you think every face tells its own story? Like a book? More like a poem. If you study it long enough, you’ll soon find its meaning. "
36 " When the water boiled, Michiko poured it into the pot of green leaves and we both waited in the thick silence. I felt strangely calmed by this simple ritual I had seen my mother do many hundred times before. It was all that seemed to make sense in this place and I held on to it as if I were drowning. "
37 " It's harder than I imagined, to be alone. I suppose I might get used to it, like an empty canvasyou slowly begin to fill. "
― Gail Tsukiyama
38 " Near the gardens, Pei stopped and caught her breath. She liked sweet-voiced Song Lee and hoped for the best in dealing with the other sisters, but Pei rememered all too well the different personalities that had affected her life, first at the girls' house, then at the silk factory and sisters' house. Dealing with so many people was often like playing a game of chess. There were so many pieces, all moving in different directions. It was always wise to guard all sides against capture. "
39 " Just don’t ever think you deserve to be beaten. "
40 " Grief was an opponent he would never be able to defeat. "