Ecesu

“I was interested in figuring out who I was with other people, and why that person was hard to be. I remember my mother, not a great keeper of friends herself, used to say, “If you’re comfortable with yourself, you’ll never be lonely,” which didn’t feel like the whole story.”
― Jessica Francis Kane, Rules for Visiting

“I just feel pathetic, Jack. I was sitting there like a motherfucking loser, and I just feel pathetic.” Against all evidence of my time working with him, I still expected words of encouragement, words like, “Oh you’re not pathetic. Look at all you’ve done, Janelle! You’re a shining star!” But after a pause, he asked, “Wouldn’t it be great if you could be okay with being pathetic?”
― Janelle Hanchett, I'm Just Happy to Be Here: A Memoir of Renegade Mothering

“Of all the ridiculous expressions people use - and people use a great many ridiculous expressions - one of the most ridiculous is 'No news is good news.' 'No new is good news' simply means that if you don't hear from someone, everything is probably fine, and you can see at once why this expression makes such little sense, because everything being fine is only one of many reasons why someone may not contact you. Perhaps they are tied up. Maybe they are surrounded by fierce weasels, or perhaps they are wedged tightly between two refrigerators and cannot get themselves out. The expression might well be changed to 'No new is bad news,' except that people may not be able to contact you because they have just been crowned king or are competing in a gymnastics tournament. The point is that there is no way to know why someone has not contacted you, until they contact you and explain themselves. For this reason, the sensible expression would be ;No news is no news,' except that it is so obvious it is hardly an expression at all.”
― Lemony Snicket, The Hostile Hospital

“Minstrelsy makes the audience comfortable. Now that I am on the other side of it, and proud of my blackness, they wouldn't know what to do with me. People don't know what to do with you if you are not trying to assimilate.”
― Gabrielle Union, We're Going to Need More Wine