Quotes by R.J. Palacio

Do people look the same when they go to heaven, mommy?I dont know. I dont think so.Then how do people recognize each other?I dont know, sweetie. They just feel it. You dont need your eyes to love, right?

no, no, its not all random, if it really was all random, the universe would abandon us completely. and the universe doesnt. it takes care of its most fragile creations in ways we cant see. like with parents who adore you blindly. and a big sister who feels guilty for being human over you. and a little gravelly-voiced kid whose friends have left him over you. and even a pink-haired girl who carries your picture in her wallet. maybe it is a lottery, but the universe makes it all even out in the end. the universe takes care of all its birds.

The best way to measure how much youve grown isnt by inches or the number of laps you can now run around the track, or even your grade point average-- though those things are important, to be sure. Its what youve done with your time, how youve chosen to spend your days, and whom youve touched this year. That, to me, is the greatest measure of success.

Sometimes I think my head is so big because it is so full of dreams

I actually like how doctors talk. I like the sound of science. I like how words you dont understand explain things you cant understand.

I think were too young to be dating. I mean I dont see what the rush is. Summer says. Yeah, I agree, said August. Which is kind of a shame, you know what with all those babes who keep throwing themselves at me and stuff?

The things we do outlast our mortality. The things we do are like monuments that people build to honor heroes after theyve died. Theyre like the pyramids that the Egyptians built to honor the pharaohs. Only instead of being made of stone, theyre made out of the memories people have of you.

Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.

I wish every day could be Halloween. We could all wear masks all the time. Then we could walk around and get to know each other before we got to see what we looked like under the masks.

At first I thought he was laughing because his shoulders were shaking, but then he put his palms on his eyes and I realized he was crying. It was the quietest crying Ive ever heard. Like a whisper. I was going to go over to him, but then I thought maybe he was whisper-crying because he didnt want me or anyone else to hear him.

You dont need your eyes to love, Right?

If you dont know what to do, just be kind. You cant go wrong.

Such a simple thing, kindness. Such a simple thing. A nice word of encouragement, given when needed. An act of friendship. A passing smile.

Always try to be a little kinder than necessary.

Its not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed. Why I love that line, that concept, is that it reminds me that we carry with us, as human beings, not just the capacity to be kind, but the very choice of kindness. And what does that mean? How is that measured? You cant use a yardstick. Its like I was saying just before: its not like measuring how much youve grown in a year. Its not exactly quantifiable, is it?

He meticulously tries to get every hair in place. He tilts his head to look at himself from different angles, like theres some magic perspective in the mirror that could change the dimensions of his face-Olivia/Via thinking

The only thing that I know that truly heals people is unconditional love.

Its so weird how that can be, how you could have a night thats the worst in your life, but to everybody else its just an ordinary night.

The most important precept is to be aware of WHO WE ARE!“Who we are,” he said, underlining each word as he said it. “Who we are! Us! Right? What kind of people are we? What kind of person are you? Isn’t that the most important thing of all? Isn’t that the kind of question we should be asking ourselves all the time? “What kind of person am I?Learning who you are is what your are here to do.

Sometimes when I have the feeling like I’m almost crying, it can turn into an almost-laughing feeling.