The bad part is life continues. The good part is that the pain goes away.

I do believe in fate, Anne-not the blind fate that gives one no freedom of choice, but a fate that sets down a pattern for each of our lives and gives us choices, numerous choices, by which to find that pattern and be happy.

The real meaning of things lies deep down and the real meaning of things is always beautiful because it is simply love.

This time her heart would not break, even though it would hurt and hurt for a long time to come. Perhaps for the rest of her life. But it would not break. She had the strength to go on alone.

I can be hurt, she said, only by people I respect.

Sometimes even the imagination lets one down.

But parents, she supposed, were not the pinnacle of perfection their children thought or expected them to be. They were humans who usually did the best they could but often made the wrong choices.