All the Glimmering Stars Quotes

“You fear that change will change that inner person. In the extreme, the change you fear most is death. But it could be as trivial as changing jobs. But fear is fear, and like the other forms of suffering, it disconnects you from the powers of your ancestors and the universe.” Anthony had frowned, confused. The dying shopkeeper had shifted uncomfortably before he said, “Have you ever made a good decision while you were afraid?” “Many times, in battle.” “I would suggest those were reactions. I’m talking about having the time to make a good decision. If you were afraid, did you make a good one?” After thinking about that a moment, Anthony shook his head. “How could you? You were disconnected. If you are connected, you will make a good decision. Get it?” Anthony had nodded and listened as Mr. Mabior told him, “Extinguish the suffering of Fear by closing your eyes, breathing deep, and saying seven times, ‘I am you. You are me. We are one.’ And when you are done, you’ll take seven more deep breaths, and say, ‘I am one with all that ever was or will be. And I will be cared for.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“Try to be a better human in some way every day. And whenever you are confused about anything in life, not sure what to do, ask yourself this question: What would a good human do?”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“You see, pain is physical. Suffering is mental. When you learn to end your suffering, when your eyes and your heart have truly opened, you see everything in life in a different light, even death.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“You begin by looking around for what you do have, things that allow you to live another day or have brought you moments of happiness. And you thank the stars for giving it to you. And then you look for something else, or somebody who is a gift in your life, and you give thanks for that, too.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“Someone had once told her that the only time people risk change is when they get fed up with the pain of their current life. They know change is going to hurt, but they believe it will hurt less than staying the same.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“Lack dwells on your belief in your own poverty,” Mr. Mabior had said, taking short, shallow breaths. “Lack feeds on what you think you need to be happy in life, then shows you that you have not met that need, and therefore, you cannot be happy.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“I asked my mother what my job was as a parent. She said it was simple: From birth to age five, love them no matter what. From five to age fifteen, teach them as best you can. From fifteen on, be their friend because they will need that more than your unasked-for advice or guidance.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“I guess we’re saying that if love is the most powerful force in the universe, then gratitude and forgiveness are a close second and third.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“The worst thing you can do in life is to become a soldier, George often told him. Being a soldier is all about the power of one man over another.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“Letting you know that no matter how hard you try, you will always be missing something, lacking something. And most of all, filling you with fear. Fear that you deserve what happened to you. Fear that things will never be better because you are cursed by the universe. Fear that you will forever be that boy captured and twisted into someone he never wanted to”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“he has more money in the bank, but he never really lives, and so, he dies a rich man on paper but a pauper in spirit.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“suffering the way you are right now. You see, pain is physical. Suffering is mental. When you learn to end your suffering, when your eyes and your heart have truly opened, you see everything in life in a different light, even death.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“When you listen to the voice of Violence, you are cut off from God, the universe, whatever higher power you believe in. When you are cut off, Anthony, you think poorly, you make bad decisions, and then you act in direct opposition to your true self. Take a jealous husband who hates that his wife is sleeping around and kills her. Is that man connected to the universe? Or his own pain?”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“Beneath a Scarlet Sky and The Last Green Valley,”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“you were afraid, did you make a good one?” After thinking about that a moment, Anthony shook his head. “How could you? You were disconnected. If you are connected, you will make a good decision. Get it?” Anthony had nodded and listened as Mr. Mabior told him, “Extinguish the suffering of Fear by closing your eyes, breathing deep, and saying seven times, ‘I am you. You are me. We are one.’ And when you are done, you’ll take seven more deep breaths, and say, ‘I am one with all that ever was or will be. And I will be cared for.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“When you do this, time will seem to slow and expand and there will be more than enough of it to do everything you need to do. With no Rush, there is one less suffering voice trying to run your mind.” “Hey, Signaler!”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“No one can steal your spirit. Only you can give it away.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“From birth to age five, love them no matter what. From five to age fifteen, teach them as best you can. From fifteen on, be their friend because they will need that more than your unasked-for advice or guidance.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“Family was a vital thing. The family supported each other, fought for each other. You were to be kind to each other. You were to be polite and welcoming. You were to treat others the way you wanted to be treated. You did your work without argument. You tried your best. You believed in the power of love. You were humble in victory and gracious in defeat. You were thankful to God and the universe for all you were given.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“difference between pain and suffering. Pain is physical”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“Through our story, Florence and I have found meaning in the time we spent in the LRA, and we hope to leave the world a better place than we endured. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. —Daniel”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“In 2008, the US State Department designated Kony a “global terrorist.” Later that same year, President George Bush authorized the use of US military advisers in the LRA conflict. With Anthony Opoka translating TONFAS messages and offering insight into the Great Teacher’s troubled mind, the Ugandan, Congolese, and Sudanese governments united to launch Operation Lightning Thunder. Hoping to end the LRA for good, they aerially attacked and destroyed many LRA camps in the Garamba National Park in northeast Congo.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“There are no firm numbers available on how many innocent people were killed or maimed as Kony built his child armies, but some experts believe more than ten thousand died at his hand.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“Over the course of Joseph Kony’s thirty-year reign of terror in northern Uganda, southern Sudan, and Congo, the Lord’s Resistance Army is believed to have kidnapped as many as thirty-seven thousand boys and girls and an equal number of adults and attempted to turn the males into fearsome, soulless soldiers and the females into slaves, sexual and otherwise.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“As far as we are concerned, our life, our story, it’s one long incredible miracle,” Florence said, beaming before looking at Anthony. “We done?” “Just one more thing,” Anthony said, before looking at the audience with a dead-serious expression. “Never, ever get between a mama and her kittens.” “You’re asking for it if you do!” Florence said, and started laughing.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“Anthony said, “And when you live by these three forces, no matter what has happened to you, life does become a miracle. A daily miracle.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“Florence looked down at her mother and father. “I guess we’re saying that if love is the most powerful force in the universe, then gratitude and forgiveness are a close second and third.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“He bowed his head and wished to God that all the glimmering stars in the sky, the souls of his ancestors and the spirits of the unborn, could come together to show him the right direction to take.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“you will always be missing something, lacking something. And most of all, filling you with fear. Fear that you deserve what happened to you. Fear that things will never be better because you are cursed by the universe. Fear that you will forever be that boy captured and twisted into someone”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars

“that if you wish God to hear your prayers, you must bow your head with a heart that is at peace.”
― Mark T. Sullivan, All the Glimmering Stars