In avoiding specific goals he had avoided specific limitations. For the time being the world, life itself, could be his chosen field.

He knew it was possible for shame to be nursed and doctored like an illness, if you wanted to keep it separate from the rest of your life, but that didn't mean there'd be any way to keep from knowing it was there.

Your cowardly self-delusions about “love” when you know as well as I do that there’s never been anything between us but contempt and distrust and a terrible sickly dependence on each other’s weakness- that’s why. That’s why I couldn’t stop laughing about the Inability to Love, and that’s why I can’t stand to let you touch me, and that’s why I’ll never again believe in anything you think, let alone anything you say

Our ability to measure and apportion time affords an almost endless source of comfort.

In avoiding specific goals he had avoided specific limitations. For the time being the world, life itself, could be his chosen field.

He had won but he didn't feel like a winner.

He couldn't even tell whether he was angry or contrite, whether it was forgiveness he wanted or the power to forgive.