Shaila

“But a son, although he is of his father, cannot know his father totally, because the father precedes him; his father has always already lived so much more than the son has, so that the son can never catch up, can never know everything. No wonder the Greeks thought that few sons are the equals of their fathers; that most fall short, all too few surpass them. It’s not about value; it’s about knowledge.”
― Daniel Mendelsohn, An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic

“It had happened to me too. It happens to most of us if we’re lucky enough. The fictional characters we love stamp their names on our hearts. They show us how to fight our battles, how to change, how to make it to page three hundred a different person than we were on page one.”
― Meg Shaffer, The Book Witch

“Immortality is overrated.” Duke brought his hand to my neck, stroking it. “I’d far rather be able to grow old.” “Really? Why?” “If I can’t grow old, I can’t grow old with you.” Ever have anyone say something so violently”
― Meg Shaffer, The Book Witch

“Our children never warn us that they’re thinking of growing up, one day they’re just too big to want to hold our hand, it’s just as well we never know when the last time is going to be or we’d never let go.”
― Fredrik Backman, The Winners