I dislike religious words. There is a mystery to creation that fixates me to passionate attention, but traditional spiritual language annoys me. I want every spiritual word to be new, minted that second. Or else I want silence. I'm waddling toward silence at the moment like a fat bear heading for her winter cave. Silence, music, beauty, clearing out space and giving things away: a good Christmas agenda.

— Mary Rose O'Reilley, The Love of Impermanent Things