An ending was an ending. No matter how many pages of sentences and paragraphs of great stories led up to it, it would always have the last word.

Self respect, Colie. If you don't have it, the world will walk all over you.

There were endless ways to spend your days, I knew that, none of them right or wrong. But given the chance for a real do-over, another way around, who would say no?

Okay," I said, "what's your biggest fear?" As always, he took a second to think about the answer. "Clowns," he said. "Clowns." "Yup." I just looked at him. "What?" he said, glancing over at me. "That is not a real answer," I told him. "Says who?" "Says me. I meant a real fear, like of failure, of death, of regret. Like that. Something that keeps you awake nights, questioning your very existence." He thought for a second. "Clowns.

This Lullaby is only a few words, a simple run of chords, quiet here in this spare room, but you can hear it, hear it, wherever you may go, even if I let you down, this lullaby plays on.

Sometimes really, really bad things happen to people, and there is no explanation and no reason whatsoever.

Yeah. I mean, acknowledging is easy. Something happened or it didn't. But understanding... that's where things get sticky.