Maria

“You, my girl, are whoever you decide to be. But I hope you always keep some piece of that girl who sat by the window, hoping for the best. Life’s short enough without us talking ourselves out of hope and trying to dodge every bad feeling. Sometimes you have to push through the discomfort, instead of running.”
― Emily Henry, Funny Story

“You once told me you thought you were a lot of nots. I want you to know that to me, you're everything. I love that you're full of terrible puns that you're not afraid to follow with profound wisdom. You're all the shapes made perfectly to hold me, and you're all my favorite colors.”
― Tarah Dewitt, Savor It

“This is something I regret, and something I would encourage you to investigate ASAP if you’re in a relationship. If you haven’t already, start now. Consider crafting a relationship contract that lays out the foundations and guidelines for the various facets of your relationship, including the inevitable conflicts that arise. While the content of the contract is up to you, I recommend that it address how you’ll handle a range of issues such as disappointments, conflicts, differences in needs and desires, frustrations, communication styles, and mismatched libidos. Essentially, address all potential challenges proactively, in the abstract, before they become concrete, real-world problems. Also, begin having these conversations from the start of your relationship, so that when challenges inevitably arise in years two, five, ten, or twenty, you will already have the language and tools required to navigate them. Many couples are not proactive in their communication because they never learned how to be, but it’s never too late to start.”
― Todd Baratz, How to Love Someone Without Losing Your Mind: Forget the Fairy Tale and Get Real

“You mean so much to me, Miles," I say. "So much. But you can't be everything. You were right that I'd love it here. I do. And you're a huge part of why I want to build a life here. But I can't build it around you.”
― Emily Henry, Funny Story