˗ˏˋ mitja ´ˎ˗

“…not many people have ever died of love. But multitudes have perished, and are perishing every hour… – for the lack of it.”
― James Baldwin, Giovanni’s Room

“Family,” he began, sharply aware, even with his eyes closed, of William's drawn attention, “is the garden that grows you before you realize you are growing. It is the dirt and the sun and the air, and you take root where you can, even if all you have is stone and shade. And if that first planting does not take, we try again.”
He blinked, found William's eyes on him, their green and brown as dark as deep water in the gathering night. “In a different garden, we try again.”
― Elizabeth Wambheim, Of the Wild

“Giovanni looked at me. And this look made me feel that no one in my life had ever looked at me directly before.”
― James Baldwin, Giovanni’s Room

“He had found refuge in imagining a lover who would catch him up in a bearlike hug and promise instead, "this is enough. This is more than enough, and I love you for you, and I want you happy." He had imagined, in every iteration, ricocheting joy and tears and a relief so strong he could no breathe.”
― Elizabeth Wambheim, More Than Enough