Lauren

“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

“She snapped," they said.
"Couldn't take it anymore."
"Reached her breaking point."
We should teach our girls that snapping is okay instead of waiting for someone else to break them.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson, Shout

“Some people grow up knowing what they want to do. They color inside the lines, study at the right school, check off the boxes, and in the end? They are handed the grown-up life they've dreamed of. (That's mostly bullshit for the record.) Trying to figure out what you want to do, who you want to be is messy as hell. The best anyone can hope for is to figure out the next step.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson, Shout