Break what must be broken, once for all, that's all, and take the suffering on oneself.

You can be sincere and still be stupid.

I have a plan-to go mad.

I will not and cannot believe that evil is the normal condition of mankind.

For a woman, all resurrection, all salvation, from whatever perdition, lies in love; in fact, it is her only way to it.

I wanted to fathom her secrets; I wanted her to come to me and say: "I love you," and if not that, if that was senseless insanity, then...well, what was there to care about? Did I know what I wanted? I was like one demented: all I wanted was to be near her, in the halo of her glory, in her radiance, always, for ever, all my life. I knew nothing more!

Obedience, fasting, and prayer are laughed at, yet only through them lies the way to real true freedom. I cut off my superfluous and unnecessary desires, I subdue my proud and wanton will and chastise it with obedience, and with God's help I attain freedom of spirit and with it spiritual joy.