Quotes by Amy Harmon

Life had taught her that consequences were ugly and painful, and seldom worth the pleasure they had been bartered for.

They can take our homes, our possessions. Our families. Our lives. They can drive us out, like theyve driven us out before. They can humiliate us and dehumanize us. But they cannot take our thoughts. They cannot take our talents. They cannot take our knowledge, or our memories, or our minds. In music there is no bondage. Music is a door, and the soul escapes through the melody.

Life is like a long note; it persists without variance, without wavering. There is no cessation in sound or pause in tempo. It continues on, and we must master it or it will master us.

But it wasn’t. Sex is not the most intimate thing two lovers can do. Even when the sex is beautiful. Even when it’s perfect.” Millie drew a deep breath as if she remembered how perfect it had truly been. “The most intimate thing we can do is to allow the people we love most to see us at our worst. At our lowest. At our weakest. True intimacy happens when nothing is perfect. And I don’t think you’re ready to be intimate with me, David.

Saying something is “meant to be” is a cop out. It’s a way for people to deal when they screw up or when life hands them a bowl of shit stew. The things that are meant to be are the things we can’t control, the things we don’t cause, the things that happen regardless of who or what we are. Like sunsets and snow-fall and natural disasters. I’ve never believed hardship or suffering was meant to be. I’ve never believed relationships were meant to be. We choose. In large part, we choose. We create, we make mistakes, we burn bridges, we build new ones.

Why don’t you focus on where you’re going and less on where you came from?

...Theres a lot I dont understand...but not understanding is better not believing - Ambrose

The world is alive with words

Hed been given every word he needed, and every word had been stripped from me. I wanted them back. All of them.

I wondered how hed learned to push the words away, to drown them, to not feel them pounding against his head and his heart, begging to be spoken.

The road was so dimly lighted.There we;re no highway signs to guide.But they made up their minds,If all roads were blind,They wouldnt give up til they died....

In the light everything is obvious. There are no secrets. You simply have to look in order to see.

God wants us to receive everything that life was meant to teach. Then we take what weve learned, and it becomes our offering to God and to mankind. But we have to live in order to learn. And sometimes we have to fight in order to live.

But she wasn’t the only one who was suffering, and sometimes there is comfort in the knowledge that you don’t suffer alone, sad as that is.

We werent so different, Finn and I. Cages come in lots of colors and shapes. Some are gilded, while others have a slamming door. But golden handcuffs are still handcuffs.

What softened your heart? I asked softly.Good music and a friend.I felt my eyes burn a little and turned from him, blinking quickly to lap up the sting of tears. Music has incredible powerSo does friendship, he supplied frankly.

When the ancient Romans would conquer a new place or a new people, they would leave the language and the customs in tact – they would even let the conquered people rule themselves in most cases, appointing a governor to maintain a foothold in the region.” Wilson leaned against the whiteboard as he spoke, his posture relaxed, his hands clasped loosely.“This was part of what made Rome so successful. They didnt try to make everyone Romans in the process of conquering them. When I went to Africa with the Peace Corp, a woman who worked with the Corp said something to me that I have often thought about since. She told me Africa is not going to adapt to you. You are going to have to adapt to Africa. That is true of wherever you go, whether its school or whether its in the broader world.

I had wanted to disappear, if only so the cancer could disappear with me. But the stars whispered that there was no such thing. You don’t ever disappear. You just change. You leave. You move on. But you never disappear. Even when you think you want to.

This thing we have, it hurts, he continued. But the pain is almost sweet because it means YOU happened. We happened. And I cant regret that, no matter how little or how long I get to tag along with you and pretend that I dont hate having people recognize me or take pictures or having people whisper about my record-- Your record? My criminal record, Bonnie, Nothing platinum there. Im an ex-con, and starting over and building a new life where I can put it behind me, Im building a new life where it will never be behind me, and for you, its worth it. Its easy math.

Sometimes funny is all youve got.