It is perhaps necessary for something dear to be lost.”“Why?”“Perhaps it is necessary to the making of a story. A story after all is a way of remembering love.

But what are they?” Annie asked.“An omphalos, probably, ” said Jacob.“A what, dear?” Melinda asked.“A bellybutton of the world.”“I didn’t know it had one.

– I’m going to be a writer, he reminded Milo.– And you won’t need literature?– I’ll write my own.

By its nature a relationship was not an accomplishment. It was just a connection that happened to exist, for as long as it did exist.

Since he had given up men he had taken up geography. He visited a new sight or a new neighborhood nearly every weekend.

He was in the flow of time now. He was in a story.

There’s always a story that people are telling about themselves, and sometimes you can get them to tell it ever so slightly differently.

It’s a question of wanting to know how the story turns out. And one can only know that about one story, ever.

A year ago he had been in America. Two years ago he had been straight. Tonight he was underground, with the remains of the bogey man, lit by the torches of the children who had killed him.

I suppose it does come with a certain responsibility.”“What does?” asked Annie.“The magnificence of my person.”“Gah.

Like capitalism, ” Carl suggested. “‘We’ll give you so much pleasure, you’ll never want to try another socioeconomic system.

Lo, each subculture has its own language, and verily I am not a parody. You don’t believe me? Get with the program, crackpot!

There is no denial that the lack of self-love conditions many to feel unimportant or irrelevant.

I’ll never let go of you again, ” she whispered. “I swear it.

We were all so young that there were no lines on our faces to read between.

To be afraid of our next life because we don't feel we've done a good job with this life is not wise. It creates unhappiness now.

My favorite thing to do is put my headphones on and cruise around the old neighborhoods.

He is happiest who hath power to gather wisdom from a flower.

It takes knowledge to know something. It takes guts to do what you know.

Hell is not evil; it's a place where evil gets punished. Hell is not pleasant, appealing, or encouraging. But Hell is morally good, because a good God must punish evil.

There is no point in starting your own business unless you do it out of a sense of frustration.