They never really happen to you in life

Dintr-o scrisoare neașteptată și încântătoare a lui F. Scott Fitzgerald către fiica lui de 11 ani:

I am glad you are happy — but I never believe much in happiness. I never believe in misery either. Those are things you see on the stage or the screen or the printed pages, they never really happen to you in life.

All I believe in in life is the rewards for virtue (according to your talents) and the punishments for not fulfilling your duties, which are doubly costly.