Amber

“I need not flatter any man; he has nothing to give me”
― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own

“There’s only one rule I know of—Goddam it, you’ve got to be kind.”
― Kurt Vonnegut, If This Isn't Nice, What Is?: Advice for the Young

“Howl pointed a shaky hand up toward the canopy of his bed. “That’s why I love spiders. ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try, again.’ I keep trying,” he said with great sadness. “But I brought it on myself by making a bargain some years ago, and I know I shall never be able to love anyone properly now.”
The water running out of Howl’s eyes was definitely tears now.”
― Diana Wynne Jones, Howl’s Moving Castle

“A parable: The Monk and the Minister Two close boyhood friends grow up and go their separate ways. One becomes a humble monk, the other a rich and powerful minister to the king. Years later they meet. As they catch up, the portly minister (in his fine robes) takes pity on the thin and shabby monk. Seeking to help, he says: “You know, if you could learn to cater to the king, you wouldn’t have to live on rice and beans.” To which the monk replies: “If you could learn to live on rice and beans, you wouldn’t have to cater to the king.” Most all of us fall somewhere between the two. As for me, it is better to be closer to the monk.”
― J.L. Collins, The Simple Path to Wealth: Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life