Bibi

“I had a temper. I got angry easily. But I had made myself learn how to control it. I had decided early on that I wasn’t going to let that emotion define me. I wanted to be better. I wanted to be a good person. I wanted to be someone—not necessarily someone great or someone important—but someone I could live with.”
― Mariana Zapata, The Wall of Winnipeg and Me

“Rachel had finally figured out that sometimes being a strong, responsible woman meant admitting you wanted something different in your life, something new-and now her life was suddenly richer, fuller, than it had ever been.”
― Toni Blake, Sugar Creek

“No one else. It was me who had to carry myself over the finish line, and all I needed to remember when I felt like not trying was that that feeling wouldn't last forever.
Forever.
I used to believe it didn't exist. One word has terrified me as a child and it haunted me. But now I knew, and many small ways, but it was real, But it didn't scare me anymore. Forever wasn't a little girl cowering in the closet. Forever wasn't the shadows sitting in the back of the class. Forever wasn't doing what I thought Carl and Rose wanted instead of what I needed to do with my life. Forever wasn't believing I was some kind of replacement daughter and that I was letting them down. Forever wasn't being the one who needed protection. Forever wasn't pain and grief forever wasn't a problem. Forever was my heartbeat and it was the hope tomorrow held. Forever was the glistening silver lining of the dark cloud, no matter how heavy and thick it was. Forever was knowing it moments of weakness didn't equate to an eternity of them. Forever was knowing that I was strong. Forever was Carl and Rosa, Ainsley and Kira, Hector and Rider. Jaden would always be a part of my forever. Forever was in the fire-breathing dragon inside me that had shed the fear like a snake shedding skin. Forever was simply a promise of more. Forever was a work in progress. And I couldn't wait for forever.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, The Problem with Forever

“The questions were so big they almost overwhelmed her.
Because ... maybe, just maybe there was some part of her that ... wanted that. Everyday with Mike. Time with Edna, and the girls. A simpler, quieter life. A life that revolved not around money or working but around .... love. A whole different kind of security than a person could ever get from a job. And even a type of happiness you couldn't reap from any career.”
― Toni Blake, Sugar Creek