Riham

“We're stuck. We're stuck between the East and the West. Between the past and the future. On the one hand there are the secular modernists, so proud of the regime they constructed, you cannot breathe a critical word. They've got the army and half of the state on their side. On the other hand there are the conventional traditionalist, so infatuated with the Ottoman past, you cannot breathe a critical word. They've got the general public and the remaining half of the state on their side.”
― Elif Shafak, The Bastard of Istanbul

“Tell me something, old friend: why are you fighting?"
What other reason could there be?" Colonel Gerineldo Marquez answered. "For the great Liberal party."
You're lucky because you know why," he answered. "As far as I'm concerned, I've come to realize only just now that I'm fighting because of pride."
That's bad," Colonel Gerineldo Marquez said.
Colonel Aureliano Buendia was amused at his alarm. "Naturally," he said. "But in any case, it's better than not knowing why you're fighting." He looked him in the eyes and added with a smile:
Or fighting, like you, for something that doesn't have any meaning for anyone.”
― Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude

“من السهل أن تحب إلهاً يتصف بالكمال، والنقاء والعصمة. لكن الأصعب من ذلك أن تحب إخوانك البشر بكل نقائصهم وعيوبهم. تذكّر، أن المرء لا يعرف إلا ما هو قادر على أن يحب. فلا حكمة من دون حب. وما لم نتعلم كيف نحب خلق الله، فلن نستطيع أن نحب حقاً ولن نعرف الله حقاً.”
― Elif Shafak, The Forty Rules of Love

“Never let anyone know what you are thinking.”
― Mario Puzo, The Godfather