Clara," he says, my name sounding different somehow when it passes through his lips. "I'll miss you.
Cynthia HandSo I'm in love. That crazy, forget to eat, float around in a daze, talk on the phone all night and bounce out of bed every morning hoping to see him kind of love.
Cynthia HandHave you ever been to a place you're supposed to love, but all you can think about is home?
Cynthia HandOur purpose on this earth is not one single event, an accomplishment we can check off a list. There is no test. No passing or failing. There's only us, each moment shaping who we are, into what we will become.
Cynthia HandTime passes. That's the rule. No matter what happens, no matter how much it might feel like everything in your life has been frozen around one particular moment, time marches on.
Cynthia HandIโve learned that a storm isnโt always just bad weather, and a fire can be the start of something. Iโve found out that there are a lot more shades of gray in this world than I ever knew about. Iโve learned that sometimes, when youยดre afraid but you keep on moving forward, thatโs the biggest kind of courage there is. And finally, Iโve learned that life isnโt really about failure and success. Itโs about being present, in the moment when big things happen, when everything changes, including myself.
Cynthia HandThe look that passes between Jeffrey and Kimber right then feels like it requires a swell of cheesy music in the background. Aw, I think. Baby brother's in love. I also find this kind of gross.
Cynthia HandSo with my luck, I'll never make it in time to save the boy in the forest because my hair will have snagged on a tree branch a mile back.
Cynthia HandWe think of happiness as something we can take. But usually it comes from being content with what we have, and accepting ourselves.
Cynthia Hand