Emily Clason

“When I'm sitting in my counselor chair and I hear these phrases being spoken to a partner, I often stop the action and say "You are heading in the wrong direction. Proceed only if you intend to wreck this relationship.":
"Haven't you gotten over that yet?" "I'm sorry that you were offended." "I asked for and received forgiveness from God." "I should be excused because I..." "You're too sensitive. It was only joking." "Why do you always..." "If you hadn't..." "You sound like your mother." "That's just silly." "That's life." "What's the big deal?" "To the extent that you were offended..." "Gimme a break." "You just need to get over it." "There's nothing I can do about that now. I can't take away the past." "Why can't you let bygones be bygones?”
― Gary Chapman, When Sorry Isn't Enough: Making Things Right with Those You Love

“A god who listens is love. A god who speaks is law. At their worst, the people who want a god who listens are self-centered...And the ones who want a god who speaks are cruel. They just want laws and justice to crush everything...Love is empty without justice. Justice is cruel without love....God should be both. If a god isn't, that is no God.”
― Daniel Nayeri, Everything Sad Is Untrue

“What are the steps for giving a good apology? Body language can make or break the sincerity of an apology. Be sure that you maintain eye contact. Don't cross your arms defensively, Listen with concern, and speak with a pleasant tone of voice. Then, choose words that do not blame others, excuse yourself, or deny responsibility. Instead, take responsibility for your part of the problem. Do this even if it wasn't all your fault. Express sorrow for hurt feelings. Offer to make amends. Talk about how you can prevent the problem from happening again, and consider requesting forgiveness.”
― Gary Chapman, When Sorry Isn't Enough: Making Things Right with Those You Love

“Maternal love is our first experience of what love feels like, and the maternal care we receive informs how we feel about ourselves throughout life.”
― Kelly McDaniel, Mother Hunger: How Adult Daughters Can Understand and Heal from Lost Nurturance, Protection, and Guidance