What stays with me most is a general sense of loss, unease, and longing for the past that cannot be relieved.

In every message she spoke of birds, of flight, of the world away. Even back then, she flew against what was presented to her. I wanted to cling to her wings and soar, no matter how intimidated I was.

i would rather be married to broken jade than flawless clay

I love research. I'd go so far as to say I'm a research fanatic.

I know a lot about women and their suffering, but I still know almost nothing about men.

My love for him had never gone away but only changed, growing deeper like wine fermenting or pickles curing. It bore into me with the pervasiveness of water working its way to the center of a mountain.

Perhaps he was afraid as I was that we'd be caught. Or perhaps he was breathing me in just as I was letting him come into my lungs, my eyes, my heart.