Mia Schuld

“Tennyson.” Clarissa spoke without hesitation. “In Memoriam—stanza fifty-six, if I’m not mistaken.” Mariana smiled. Most fellows had an encyclopedia for a brain; Clarissa had an entire library. The professor closed her eyes and proceeded to recite it from memory. “‘O life as futile, then, as frail! / O for thy voice to soothe and bless! / What hope of answer, or redress? / Behind the veil, behind the veil…”
― Alex Michaelides, The Maidens

“Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different. But we cannot move forward if we’re still holding on to the pain of that past.”
― Bruce D. Perry, What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing

“Could it be that easy? We just have to weep and prostrate ourselves and God forgives everything? But maybe it’s not easy at all – maybe to weep and prostrate ourselves with genuine sincerity is the hardest thing we could ever learn how to do.”
― Sally Rooney, Beautiful World, Where Are You

“Makeup made a girl look so desperate, I thought. People were so dishonest with their clothes and personalities.”
― Ottessa Moshfegh, Homesick for Another World