Much as I try to disguise myself, there is never a time when I'm not aware of being overweight.

Naturally, our own irrational demands strike us as having the force of needs, while other people's needs strike us as capricious indulgences.

There's something stubborn about families, unhappy ones in particular: they outlive themselves, and then they live on.

My mother is the source of my unease in the world and thus the only person who can make me feel at home in the world.

Everything felt fragile and freshly come upon, but for now, at least, my depression had stepped back, giving me room to move forward. I had forgotten what it was like to be without it, and for a moment I floundered, wondering how I would recognize myself. I knew for certain it would return, sneaking up on me when I wasn’t looking, but meanwhile there were bound to be glimpses of light if only I stayed around and held fast to the long perspective. It was a chance that seemed worth taking.

Much as I try to disguise myself, there is never a time when I'm not aware of being overweight.

It might pay to be resilient, if this was all being vulnerable and skinless got you. People didn’t stop and cluck over damage done unless you made it worth their while. Indeed, maybe it was time to rethink this whole salvation business. Or maybe I was less desperate, less teetering on the edge than I cared to admit. Now, that was a refreshing possibility.