I'm Not Scared

“I’m not scared of the monsters

hidden underneath my bed.

I’m much more scared of the boys

with messy brown hair, sleepy eyes,

& mouths that only know

how to form half-truths.”

~ Amanda Lovelace, The Princess Saves Herself in This One

We Swallowed The Chaos

“We swallowed the chaos because we knew 

we didn't want to be ordinary.”

~ Robert M Drake

Over Time

“Over time as most people fail the survivor's 

exacting test of trustworthiness, 

she tends to withdraw from relationships. 

The isolation of the survivor 

thus persists even after she is free.”

~ Judith Lewis Herman, Trauma and Recovery: 

The Aftermath of Violence - From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror

We Swallowed The Chaos

“We swallowed the chaos because 

we knew we didn't want to be ordinary.”

~ Robert M. Drake

Your Heart's Strength

“Your heart’s strength is measured by how hard it holds on. 

Your self-worth and faith is measured by finally letting go. 

However, your peace is measured by how long you don’t look back.”

~ Shannon L. Alder

Do Not Hold Your Breath For Anyone

“Do not hold your breath for anyone,

Do not wish your lungs to be still,

It may delay the cracks from spreading,

But eventually they will.

Sometimes to keep yourself together

You must allow yourself to leave,

Even if breaking your own heart

Is what it takes to let you breathe.”

~ Erin Hanson

The Single Greatest Lesson

“The single greatest lesson the garden teaches 

is that our relationship to the planet need not be zero-sum, 

and that as long as the sun still shines 

and people still can plan and plant,

 think and do, we can, if we bother to try, 

find ways to provide for ourselves 

without diminishing the world. ”

~ Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma: 

A Natural History of Four Meals

My Dad Had Limitations

“My dad had limitations. 

 What my good-hearted mom always told us. 

He had limitations, but he meant no harm. 

It was kind of her to say, but he did do harm.”

~ Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl

Two Separate Beings

“Two separate beings, in different circumstances, 

face to face in freedom and seeking justification 

of their existence through one another, 

will always live an adventure full of risk and promise.”

~ Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex

They Hurt You

“They hurt you. You hurt 'em back. 

Or maybe it is the other way around. 

Whatever. 

Someday you might find a way to forgive each other. 

But it won't be like it used to 'cause that pain never really goes away.”

~ Brian K. Vaughan, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: No Future for You

You Want To Take Me

“You want to take me to a movie?" I asked.

"Well, not really," he said. 

"What I really want is for you to be my girlfriend. 

I thought saying that might scare you off.”

~Sarah Dessen, What Happened to Goodbye

He Doesn't Need To Be Reminded

“He doesn't need to be reminded you're great.”

~ Greg Behrendt, He's Just Not That Into You: 

The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys

We Know So Little

“We know so little about one another.

We embrace a shadow and love a dream.”

~ Hjalmar Söderberg, Doctor Glas

Better Put Your Heart

“Better to put your heart on the line, risk everything, 

and walk away with nothing than play it safe. 

Love is a lot of things, but “safe” isn’t one of them.”

~ Mandy Hale, The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass

Share Too Much

“Share too much and someone can hurt you.”

~ Dorothy Koomson, My Best Friend's Girl