Lauren

“I'm sorry you didn't get the help you needed.
You deserved a soft afghan wrapped around you,
People to hold your hands while you learned to walk again,
So stand with us now.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson, Shout

“Melinda's trick is looking hard in the mirror,
Absolving herself and cracking open doors to the next place.

But the girl at that school, so haunted,
smashed all the reflections
boarded up the windows and
bolted the doors,
forever stuck at 15 years old
judged to serve a life sentence for what they did.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson, Shout

“When you’re very old, people want to know—what’s the secret to a good, long life? Bernice would tell them: live and let live. Be true to yourself and let others do the same.”
― Kirsten Miller, Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books

“Sisters of the torn shirts.
Sisters of the chase around the desk, casting couch, hotel room, file cabinet.
Sisters dragging shattered dreams, bruised hopes, ambitions abandoned in the dirt.
Sisters fishing one by one in the lake of shame.
Hooks baited with fear always come back empty.
Truth dawns slow when you've been beaten and lied to, but it burns hard and bright once it wakes.
Sisters, drop everything.
Walk away from the lake, leaning on each other's shoulders when you need the support.
Feel the contractions of another truth ready to be born.
Shame turned inside out is rage.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson, Shout