"Reading about life was no preparation for living it."

"Ruth always said that forgiveness could not be coerced – it was experienced spontaneously, as an act of grace, appear…"

"Love isn’t conditional,” Ruth said. “It’s not dependent on jumping through hoops to please someone—and always failing…"

"Don’t glorify the events of your life and try to give them meaning. There is no meaning. Life means nothing. Death me…"

"You can’t love someone if you’re afraid of them."

"That was the horror of it. We all secretly hope that tragedy will only ever happen to other people... sooner or later…"

"Once you kill another human being there is no going back… it’s a bit like being reborn, I suppose. But no ordinary bi…"

"If you’re not aware of the transcendent, if you’re not awake to the glorious mystery of life and death that you’re lu…"

"You’re wrong about my father,” she said. “I know he’s difficult—but he loves me. And I love him.” “No,” said Ruth fir…"

"After all, everyone’s entitled to be the hero of their own story. So I must be permitted to be the hero of mine. Even…"