Soullessmaiden

“What good is a life lived as if it made no difference at all to the great life of the world? A sadder thing I cannot imagine. Why should not a mother say to herself, if I raise this child aright, if I love and care for her, she shall have a life that brings joy to those around her, and thus I have changed the world? Why should not the farmer that plants a seed say to his neighbour, this seed that I plant today will feed someone, and that is how I change the world today?

[…]

This is life. And no one has time not to think of such things. Each creature in the world should consider this thing, every moment of the heart’s beating. Otherwise, what is the point of arising each day?”
― Robin Hobb, Royal Assassin

“... but we cannot go back to happier times. We can only live in the present, and right now that present is painful.”
― Christie Golden, Before the Storm

“People liked to think of beauty as some natural gift, but Savine firmly believed that just about anyone could be beautiful, if they worked hard at it and spent enough money. It was merely a question of emphasising the good, disguising the bad and painfully squeezing the average into the most impressive configuration. Very much like business, really.”
― Joe Abercrombie, A Little Hatred

“But the risk of making any choice is always that you might make the wrong one. We must make our choices nonetheless. Fear of being a grown-up is a poor reason to remain a child.”
― Joe Abercrombie, A Little Hatred