Mary

“One ends a romantic relationship while remaining a compassionate friend by being kind above all else. By explaining one’s decision to leave the relationship with love and respect and emotional transparency. By being honest without being brutal. By expressing gratitude for what was given. By taking responsibility for mistakes and attempting to make amends. By acknowledging that one’s decision has caused another human being to suffer. By suffering because of that. By having the guts to stand by one’s partner even while one is leaving. By talking it all the way through and by listening. By honoring what once was. By bearing witness to the undoing and salvaging what one can. By being a friend, even if an actual friendship is impossible. By having good manners. By considering how one might feel if the tables were turned. By going out of one’s way to minimize hurt and humiliation. By trusting that the most compassionate thing of all is to release those we don’t love hard enough or true enough or big enough or right. By believing we are all worthy of hard, true, big, right love. By remembering while letting go.”
― Cheryl Strayed, Brave Enough

“she felt the same deep connection he did. It had always been there and it seemed that the time spent apart had done nothing to snuff it.”
― Nicole Douglas

“Understand this if you understand nothing: it is a powerful thing to be seen”
― Akwaeke Emezi, Freshwater

“Nature needs your care.
Animals need your attention.
People need your light.
The world needs your love.

There are five kinds of love:
veritable love for God, your parents,
your life partner, your friends,
and the most difficult of all, your neighbor.
How can you make a difference in the world?
Help one person at a time.”
― Matshona Dhliwayo