We make such messes in this life, both accidently and on purpose. But wiping the surface clean doesn’t really make anything any neater. It just masks what is below. It’s only when you really dig...

You get what you give, but also what you’re willing to take.

Sometimes, we just have to be happy with what people can offer us. Even if it’s not what we want, at least it’s something.

The point,’ Ms. Conyers continued, “is that no word had one specific definition. Maybe in the dictionary, but not in real life.

You get used to people being a certain way; you depend on it. And when they surprise you, for better or worse, it can shake you to your core.

Not everything’s perfect, especially in the beginning. And its all right to have a little bit of regret every once in a while. It’s when you feel it all the time and can’t do anything...

You think it’s all obvious and straightforward, this world. But really, it’s all in who is doing the looking.

If June was the beginning of a hopeful summer, and July the juice middle, August was suddenly feeling like the bitter end.

I don’t get it,’ Caroline said, bemused. ‘She’s the only one with wings. Why is that?’There were so many questions in life. You couldn’t ever have all the answers. But I knew this one.It’s so...

It’s funny how one summer can change everything. It must be something about the heat and the smell of chlorine, fresh-cut grass and honeysuckle, asphalt sizzling after late-day thunderstorms, the steam rising while everything drips...

It all counts,’ Adam said again. ‘And the bottom line is, what defines you isn’t how many times you crash, but the number of times you get back on the bike. As long as it’s...

Music is the great uniter. An incredible force. Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common.

Outside, the ocean was crashing, waves hitting sand, then pulling back to sea. I thought of everything being washed away, again and again. We make such messes in this life, both accidentally and on purpose....

… Everything he feels, he feels strongly. Too strongly, sometimes. I think he freaks people out.

I have to admit, an unrequited love is so much better than a real one. I mean, it’s perfect… As long as something is never even started, you never have to worry about it ending....

The girl in the tight black dress was passing by us now, eyeing Wes and walking entirely too slowly. “Hi,” she said, and he nodded at her but didn’t reply. Knew it, I thought.Honestly,” I...

The fate of your heart is your choice and no one else gets a vote

As for me, I was just trying to get it right, whatever that means. But now I finally felt I was on my way. Everyone had a forever, but given a choice, this would be...

That first love. And the first one who breaks your heart. For me, they just happen to be the same person.

Two a.m.’ He swallowed, then said, “You know. The person you can call at two a.m. and, no matter what, you can count on them. Even if they’re asleep or it’s cold or you need...

I reached up with my finger and traced the scar over my eyebrow, remembering when that was the greatest hurt I’d ever known.

It was kind of soothing, these sounds of lives being lived all around me, for better or for worse. And there I was, in the middle of them all, newly reborn and still waiting for...

Stuff that would be weird in the bright light of day just wasn’t so much once you passed a certain hour.

There’s a kind of radar that you get, after years of being talked about and made fun of by other people. You can almost smell it when it’s about to happen, can recognize instantly the...

He’s very nice. He’s something I replied. She considered this zipping her purse shut. Then she said Well everyone is. Everyone is Something. For some reason that stuck with me simple and yet not every...