Alex

“You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful.”
― Amy Bloom

“But think of Adam and Eve like an imaginary number, like the square root of minus one: you can never see any concrete proof that it exists, but if you include it in your equations, you can calculate all manner of things that couldn't be imagined without it.”
― Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass

“We are all subject to the fates. But we must act as if we are not, or die of despair.”
― Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass

“Remember the white knight."

Though it seemed so long ago, he well remembered their conversation about the chess problem. The white knight had made a move, changed his mind, and started over.

"And do you believe this was a good move?" Mr. Benedict had asked.

"No, sir," Reynie had answered.

"Why, then, do you think he made it?"

And Reynie had replied, "Perhaps because he doubted himself.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society