Freedom is also about what you will allow yourself to do.

There is no reason that we should ever be ashamed of our bodies or ashamed of our love.

I've lost track of where friendship ends and falling begins. (this is the foolish refrain of the hopelessly devoted.) there are times I want to kiss you midsentence. undo the not-doing with one gesture.

Her vulnerability is open, but she’s safe within it.

Yes, we could talk to you for days on end about all the bad first dates. Those are stories. Funny stories. Awkward stories. Stories we love to share, because by sharing them, we get something out of the hour or two we wasted on the wrong person. But that's all bad first dates are: short stories. Good first dates are more than short stories. They are first chapters. On a good first date, everything is springtime. And when a good first date becomes a relationship, the springtime lingers. Even after it's over, there can be springtime.

It's almost heartening to think that the attachment you have can define your perception as much as any other influence.

being with someone for over a year can mean that you love them … but it can also mean you’re trapped.