Rel

“I’m only thirty-seven, he thought; is this when old age begins?”
― Ken Follett, The Pillars of the Earth

“There has to be a reason, we figure, for the serious dislike we seem to inspire over and over again … something that would explain how we could mean well but always end up making everything come out so wrong. After all, what has every disaster—every want-to-crawl-in-a-hole-and-die moment—had in common? It’s not the other people involved. It’s not the places where they happened. Nope. The only common factor we can find in every disaster is ourselves. To my mind, experience had proven over and again that given enough time, I could successfully irritate and tire out any coworker, friend, boyfriend, or family member into not just being done with me, but into seriously disliking me … and quite possibly even hating me. “Enthusiastically wanted” for just “being me”? No. That didn’t make any sense at all.”
― Jennifer O'Toole, Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum

“You have always been the worst of my children,” he said. “Be sure you do not dishonor me.” “I have a better idea. I will do as I please, and when you count your children, leave me out.”
― Madeline Miller, Circe

“What would happen if I wanted you?” “You would have me.” “And?” “And nothing. That’s it.”
― Olivie Blake, The Atlas Six