Even then, it hurt. The pain was always there, pulling me inside of myself, demanding to be felt. It always felt like I was waking up from the pain when something in the world outside of me suddenly required my comment or attention.

And I don’t blame him. I don’t even trust me.

I realized during my time as a chaplain that I didn't want to be a minister.

I love you' really is the gateway drug of breaking up.

...all I have to do is stay in between the lines and make sure that no one is too close to me and I am not too close to anyone and keep leaving. Maybe it felt like this for her, too, but I could never feel like this alone.

This is what I love about novels - both reading them and writing them. They jump into the abyss to be with you where you are.

There is always the risk: something is good and good and good and good, then all at once it gets awkward.