Nada Badra

“If you tell a beautiful woman that she is beautiful, what have you given her? It's no more than a fact and it has cost you nothing. But if you tell an ugly woman that she is beautiful, you offer her the great homage of corrupting the concept of beauty. To love a woman for her virtues is meaningless. She's earned it, it's a payment, not a gift. But to love her for her vices is a real gift, unearned and undeserved. To love her for her vices is to defile all virtue for her sake - and that is a real tribute of love, because you sacrifice your conscience, your reason, your integrity and your invaluable self-esteem.”
― Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

“I'll never forget how the depression and loneliness felt good and bad at the same time. Still does.”
― Henry Rollins, The Portable Henry Rollins

“من تعب من الفكر وقف حيث تعب، فمنهم من وقف في التعطيل، ومنهم من وقف في القول بالعلل، ومنهم من وقف في التشبيه، ومنهم من وقف في الحيرة فقال لا أدري، ومنهم من عثر على وجه الدليل فوقف عنده فكلَّ عنده. فكل إنسان وقف حيث تعب، ورجع إلى مصالح دنياه وراحة نفسه وموافقة طبعه. فإن استراح من ذلك التعب، واستعمل النظر في الموضع الذي وقف فيه مشى حيث ينتهي به فكره إلى أن يتعب فيقف أيضاً أو يموت.”
― محي الدين بن عربي

“Clichés so often befall vain people.”
― Ann Beattie, Walks With Men