I feel the urge, familiar now, to wrench myself from my body and speak directly into her mind. It is the same urge, I realize, that makes me want to kiss her every time I see her, because even a sliver of distance between us is infuriating. Our fingers, loosely woven a moment ago, now clutch together, her palm tacky with moisture, mine rough in places where I have grabbed too many handles on too many moving trains. Now she looks pale and small, but her eyes make me think of wide-open skies that I have never actually seen, only dreamed of.
Veronica RothSome people believe that I will go nowhere, and maybe they're right, but maybe they're not.
Veronica RothThatโs one way of looking at it. I prefer to look at it another wayโwhich is that if they are persistent enough, even tiny drops of water, over time, can change the rock forever. And it will never change back.
Veronica RothOne piece of advice I have is: Want something else more than success. Success is a lovely thing, but your desire to say something, your worth, and your identity shouldnโt rely on it, because itโs not guaranteed and itโs not permanent and itโs not sufficient. So work hard, fall in love with the writing โ the characters, the story, the words, the themes โ and make sure that you are who you are regardless of your life circumstances. That way, when the good things come, they donโt warp you, and when the bad things hit you, you donโt fall apart.
Veronica Roth