Kim Quindlen

Your honest opinion.

You constantly feel vulnerable, and not in a good way.

The remote. Because after a long and miserable day, it’s the only thing you want to come home to.

You have to believe that you deserve to be happy. You have to believe that it is your right to experience joy, instead of worrying that the universe is playing a cruel trick on you.

We’re not sure that the “success” we’re chasing after is actually our true version of success, and not just what we’ve been conditioned to think is success.

Sometimes we love people romantically and they do love us back, and it’s even more terrifying than if they didn’t.

You keep telling yourself you’ll do this when you’re older, and then one day you realize that you are older.

There’s less wondering about what “could have been.”

“Bye.”

The philosopher. The negotiator. The infant.

Things they’re afraid to tell anyone else.

Be open to love and be willing to find it in unusual ways, but don’t lower your standards because you feel like the pool is getting smaller.

You know what it’s like to not have that person in your life every day, so you vow to appreciate them and take care of them every day of your life.

As hard as you may try, you’re never actually going to “find yourself.” Because if you’re living your life the way you should be, you’re always changing.

You’re technically returning home as somewhat of a real person, but parts of you still regress into an awkward, high school version of yourself the minute you cross the threshold of your home.

If you make a PicStich for your friend’s birthday, she has to look good in at least one of the photos, not just you.

Someday you’ll love someone for their soul instead of their social status.

Staying in love through the ordinary moments, and seeing a relationship beyond the intense, initial honeymoon phase.