Arlene Starr > Arlene's Quotes

“Don't ignore me. I only get more annoying.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“Just pick a goal and stick to it―no big complicated secret.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“Don't ever give up.
Don't ever give in.
Don't ever stop trying.
Don't ever sell out.
And if you find yourself succumbing to one of the above for a brief moment,
pick yourself up, brush yourself off, whisper a prayer, and start where you left off.
But never, ever, ever give up.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Eena, The Tempter's Snare

“Why is it we must suffer the loss of something so dear before we realize what a treasure we had?
Why must the sun be darkened before we feel how genuinely impossible it is to live without its warmth?
Why within the misery of absence does love grow by such bounds?
Why must life be this way?
It is a strange existence where such suffering makes us far better people.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Eena, The Curse of Wanyaka Cave

“The most difficult challenge an honest man will ever face is having to choose between duty and love.
One creates a man of honorable character―a life worth dying for.
The other creates a vulnerable soul that madly yearns for either death or immortality.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Eena, The Return of a Queen

“There are things
that make no sense,
that seem unreal,
that can’t be grasped
or understood
or explained,
that maybe don’t even exist…
And still, somehow, those wonderful things touch and change our lives.
Isn’t it strange?”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Secrets of a Noble Keykeeper

“In a world plagued with commonplace tragedies, only one thing exists that truly has the power to save lives, and that is love.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

“Don’t simply exist in this world, but grasp life’s potential by the jacket. Dare it to be all it can. Make life historical—a gripping account of accomplishment. Make life a mystery—a challenging, bold adventure. Make life heartfelt—an enduring, poetic romance. Whatever it is you make of your world, live the fairy tale.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Eena, The Return of a Queen

“Imagine in vibrant detail your heart’s desire—a reality only you can envision, an adventure only you can direct.
Then cradle your creation. Caress it. Mold it. Coddle it until it comes to life.
And when your precious treasure grows so grand as to steal your breath away, set it free for all the world to experience. For that is how you live your dreams.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Eena, The Curse of Wanyaka Cave

“He was everything I needed because his entire character had been molded by my deepest wants and desires. He was my rock when I cried, my playmate when I laughed, and my hero when I needed to imagine that one existed for me.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

“You will realize one day that all the money in the world cannot buy you happiness. Nor can it make you a person of good character. ”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“There are many who don't wish to sleep for fear of nightmares. Sadly, there are many who don't wish to wake for the same fear.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

“I made a sorry face in response to such strong insistence, but I couldn’t believe him. Fantasies were exactly that―fantasies. Whimsy. Wishes. Mere castles in the sky without foundation or substance. Dreams didn’t come true. To believe so would be to believe falsely, to surrender to madness, to give in to an unreliable hope that would crush me once again as it always, always did!”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

“I felt ashamed for having judged him so harshly without knowing the real boy. His one offense against me―goaded by Charlie’s bullying character―was easy to forgive.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

“I went to bed without reading, instead staring out my window with the curtains drawn, wondering about boys. Why did they behave so oddly? One minute their teasing was relentless, and then bam!― they’d stun you with a thoughtful gesture. Either way, their actions made you want to cry. Maybe that was the intent.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

“The description of Huck’s father grabbed my full attention, and I glanced up at the book in my teacher’s hand as if to double check. My eyes bulged reflexively. Huck’s father was an abusive drunk just like mine. The boy was hopeful that a corpse found near the river was actually his dad, but it turned out not to be. It was spooky how high my hopes rose for the boy, and then sank so utterly low when the body was discovered to be a female in disguise. I should’ve mourned for the woman, but it was the boy I felt bad for.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

“I lowered my hands and stared at the tiny horse, considering his question. I couldn’t think of anyone I’d ever felt sorry for. There were plenty of kids I envied. There were others I achingly admired, but that might simply be another form of jealousy. Then there were those I feared, dreaded. And the worst of them, the man who shamed me. I could see my father’s angry features looming over my mother. I could clearly picture her beside him in his truck, cowering against the door while he belittled and assaulted her.
I guess I did know someone I felt sorry for.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

“Life is a valuable and unique opportunity
to discover who you are.
But it seems as soon as you near
answering that age-old question,
something unexpected always happens
to alter your course.
And who it is you thought you were
suddenly changes.

Then comes the frustrating realization
that no matter how long life endures,
no matter how many experiences
are muddled through in this existence,
you may never really be able
to answer the question....

Who am I?

Because the answer, like the seasons,
constantly, subtly, inevitably changes.
And who it is you are today,
is not the same person you will be tomorrow.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Eena, The Dawn and Rescue

“Severing our young and fragile friendship was a sad ordeal, but sadder still was the fact that this friend found it so difficult to respond to my immediate need, unlike a dreamed boy who always afforded me easy comfort. I couldn’t understand what was so hard about reaching out to hug someone. But judging by Gregory’s uncomfortable conduct I had to assume it was an honest trial.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

“I understand it was Derian who spoiled everything. He purposefully tainted your view of me and forced you to go along with him. I know none of what happened was your idea or your desire, Eena.”

She didn’t get up, but spoke from her curled position. Her voice was weak, still heavy with despair. “Derian didn’t force me to do anything.”

“But if he hadn’t influenced you, we would be enjoying a pleasant dinner again, telling stories and laughing. I’m sure that would be the case. You would be happy……and so would I.”

Eena chuckled without amusement.

“You have to admit we shared some very enjoyable evenings, didn’t we? There’s really no reason we can’t put this whole mess behind us and start from where we left off.” He sounded genuinely serious.

“You forget,” she reminded him, “I heard your conversation with the Ghengats. This isn’t about Derian, it’s about you.”

“Alright,” he admitted with an acquiescent sigh, “so I’m not everything you’d hoped for. But really, what man can ever live up to any woman’s terribly high expectations?”

This got her attention. She almost stood up to face him, but decided it wasn’t worth the effort. Leaning forward, she retorted, “Expecting a man to respect you, to be honest with you, and, oh yes, to not be a shameless murderer—I don’t think those are overly high expectations!”

He shrugged, casually excusing his faults. “Nobody’s perfect.”

“What do you want?” she finally asked, exasperated.

He squatted to her level and stated his desire. “I want you.”

Eena thought the expression on his face—the look in his weary blue eyes—appeared strangely sincere. But there was one thing she had learned from all this: never trust a master of deceit.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Eena, The Dawn and Rescue

“If you'd just learn to do as I say from the beginning, I wouldn't have to follow up your errors with reproving smirks and repeated I-told-you-sos.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“You can capture this body of mine, take away my freedom and enslave me.
You may even have the power to capture my soul and sentence me to the realm of eternal darkness.
But my dreams you cannot touch. They are my will―the very essence of who I am.
In them I laugh.
In them I cry.
In them I love.
And in them.....I live.
My dreams are untouchable and unceasing.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Eena, The Dawn and Rescue

“One way or another, I think we are all destined to learn the same lessons in life. Universal truths are universal truths. They cannot be changed.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“Gavin, I can’t talk to you here. People will call me crazy."

My imaginary friend smirked. "But you’re already talking to me."

"Well, I have to stop."

His smirk grew cocky. "I doubt you can resist."

And he was right. There was nothing I wanted more than to give my full attention to an imagined shadow and ignore those who ignored me in the real world. I wanted to talk out loud to Gavin―to play and laugh boisterously with him. In a dream I could justify such behavior, but to succumb to hallucinations while wide awake would only prove me insane.”
― Richelle Goodrich, Dandelions: The Disappearance of Annabelle Fancher

“Why hasn't someone lassoed a few teenagers and had them sit down and write out all the supposed answers they have so we can solve the world's problems already?”
― Richelle E. Goodrich

“One of the most effective things you will ever do in life, whether you care to or not, is set an example.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“Gratitude is medicine for a heart devastated by tragedy.  If you can only be thankful for the blue sky, then do so.”
― richelle e. goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“The funny thing about an impossibility is that it tends to be a magnet for those who would prove it otherwise.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“Courage to me is doing something daring, no matter how afraid, insecure, intimidated, alone, unworthy, incapable, ridiculed or whatever other paralyzing emotion you might feel. Courage is taking action....no matter what.  So you're afraid? Be afraid.  Be scared silly to the point you're trembling and nauseous, but do it anyway!”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“Don't underestimate the power of friendship. Those bonds are tight stitches that close up the holes you might otherwise fall through.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year