Leslie

“Some things don't last forever, but some things do. Like a good song, or a good book, or a good memory you can take out and unfold in your darkest times, pressing down on the corners and peering in close, hoping you still recognize the person you see there.”
― Sarah Dessen, This Lullaby

“What is family? They were the people who claimed you. In good, in bad, in parts or in whole, they were the ones who showed up, who stayed in there, regardless. It wasn't just about blood relations or shared chromosomes, but something wider, bigger. We had many families over time. Our family of origin, the family we created, and the groups you moved through while all of this was happening: friends, lovers, sometimes even strangers. None of them perfect, and we couldn't expect them to be. You can't make any one person your world. The trick was to take what each could give you and build your world from it.”
― Sarah Dessen, Lock and Key

“I'm sure I'll feel much more grateful when I find a guy who thinks complex wiring in a girl is a turn-on.”
― Marissa Meyer, Cinder

“Here’s the reality: you’re not supposed to be perfect. You’re supposed to be human. And humans are messy, flawed, glorious, and deeply loved.”
― Holley Gerth, You're Loved No Matter What: Freeing Your Heart from the Need to Be Perfect