Laila

“You must learn to respect," Papa said.

But I do not respect her," I said.

Papa paused for a moment, and patted my leg. "Then you must learn to hide your disrespect.”
― Lawrence Hill, Someone Knows My Name

“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“To lose a brother is to lose someone with whom you can share the experience of growing old, who is supposed to bring you a sister-in-law and nieces and nephews, creatures who people the tree of your life and give it new branches. To lose your father is to lose the one whose guidance and help you seek, who supports you like a tree trunk supports its branches. To lose your mother, well, that is like losing the sun above you. It is like losing--I'm sorry, I would rather not go on.”
― Yann Martel, Life of Pi

“She asked why I was so black. I asked why she was so white. She said she was born that way. Same here, I replied.”
― Lawrence Hill, Someone Knows My Name