That boy never seemed to smile and he wore long sleeves year-round, and I was not so different from him—we were both unable to get near the real life in life.

Why were we never together anymore, just alone in each other's vicinity?

I wasn't sure if it was safe for me to be sharing time and space with other people, who all seemed so much gentler and safer and less of a secret to themselves than I felt I was.

I knew that my husband was a song that I had forgotten the words to and I was a fuzzy photograph of someone he used to love.

That's the thing about fiction, that you live in it totally for a little while, but you must forget it, sometimes totally forget it, in order to go about the rest of your day.

But we always avoided talking about these things—difficult things—and I wondered if that meant we'd be a little uncomfortable with or disappointed by each other for the rest of our lives.

Lately, I couldn't remember those years, as if childhood was a movie I'd only seen the previews to.

None of us know how to fix ourselves, at least not entirely, not well enough.

I couldn't blame anyone for what was in me, because I am, like everyone, populated entirely by myself.

Everyone wants to feel like they could destroy a small-to-medium-to-large part of someone who loves them.

I was thinking about stabbing myself in the face—not actually considering stabbing myself in the face, but thinking that it would be a physical expression of how I felt.

Sometimes, our pride compels us to engage in costly wars when a true commitment to a compromising peace would have been the best course to pursue.

Calls ignored, texts unanswered, short replies, excuses made. All I can say is don't be surprised when you're not in my future.

One of the things I enjoy the most is fishing.

Yes, I did lock myself in my room for about two years and write some songs and things like that. But I don't feel like I missed out on a whole lot.

The man with a heart cannot think about or see creatures without his eyes filling up with tears because of the immense compassion which seizes his heart.

If you listen to your soul you will know what is "best" for you, because what is best for you is what is true for you.

Growing up, I was a nerd. With actual taped eyeglasses.

I was always brought up to believe in Him [God], and to behave in certain ways. That is what my parents taught me and I always trust my parents. They have great values.

To me a guitar is kind of like a woman. You don't know why you like 'em but you do.

There is no real justification for a requirement that a budget of any sort should be balanced, except as a rallying point for those who seek to hamstring government.