Fairytales were never really meant for children; they were meant as cautionary tales for teenagers on the verge of growing up.

Stories are like that. Like cities, they are built on the stones and bones of the past.

Storytelling is as old as speech. It existed before humans first began to carve shapes in stones and press their hands upon the rocky walls of caves.

When our ancestors crouched about the camp fire at night, they told each other tales of gods and heroes, monsters and marvels, to hold back the terrors of the night. Such tales comforted and entertained, diverted and educated those who listened, and helped shape their sense of the world and their place in it.

Being reminded of your past doesn't mean that you have to live with constant grief. It simply means that you have been given the opportunity to transform your past into something positive.

Since the beginning, I always loved the game. When you grow up in Montreal, one day you want to be a professional hockey player. When I was six or seven, I knew that was what I wanted.

Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.

When I was growing up, around 14, it wasn't really cool at the time to have a big butt. I would always cover it with sweaters, and I was so ashamed of it. Now I'm like, 'Why would I ever do that? That's awful!' Don't change yourself, and don't try to be anyone who you're not.