Stephen Chbosky

“Something really is wrong with me. And I don't know what it is.”

“It's just that I don't want to be somebody's crush. If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don't want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it too.”

“And I guess I realized at that moment that I really did love her. Because there was nothing to gain, and that didn't matter.”

“There's nothing like deep breaths after laughing that hard. Nothing in the world like a sore stomach for the right reasons.”

“I just hope I remember to tell my kids that they are as happy as I look in my old photographs. And I hope that they believe me.”

“Maybe these are my glory days, and I'm not ever realizing it because they involve a ball.”

“Just tell me how to be different in a way that makes sense.”

“I just don't want you to worry about me, or think you've met me, or waste your time anymore.”

“I sat down and tried to write a story."Ian MacArthur is a wonderful sweet fellow who wears glasses and peers out of them with delight."That was the first sentence. The problem was that I just couldn't think of the next one. After cleaning my room three times, I decided to leave Ian alone for a while because I was starting to get mad at him.”

“I am both happy and sad at the same time, and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be.”

“I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have.”

“Do you know what 'masturbation' is? I think you probably do because you are older than me. But just in case, I will tell you. Masturbation is when you rub your genitals until you have an orgasm. Wow!”

“Bridget who is crazy said that sometimes she thought about suicide when commercials come on during TV. She was sincere and this puzzled the guidance counselors.”

“I wanted to laugh. Or maybe get mad. Or maybe shrug at how strange everyone was, especially me.”

“Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody.”

“We didn't talk about anything heavy or light. We were just there together. And that was enough”

“Sometimes, I look outside, and I think that a lot of other people have seen this snow before. Just like I think that a lot of other people have read those books before. And listened to those songs.I wonder how they feel tonight.”

“Patrick actually used to be popular before Sam bought him some good music.”

“I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they're here. If they like their jobs. Or us. And I wonder how smart they were when they were fifteen. Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It's like looking at all the students and wondering who's had their heart broken that day, and how they are able to cope with having three quizzes and a book report due on top of that. Or wondering who did the heart breaking. And wondering why.”

“Dear friend,I feel great! I really mean it. I have to remember his for the next time I'm having a terrible week. Have you wer done that? You feel really bad, and then it goes away, and you don't know why. I try to remind myself when I feel great like this that there will be another terrible week coming someday, so I should store up as many great details as I can, so during the next terrible week, I can remember those details and believe that I'll feel great again. It doesn't work a lot, but I think it's very important to try. ”

“Everyone else is either asleep or having sex. I've been watching cable television and eating jello.”

“Despite everything my mom and doctor and dad have said tome about blame, I can't stop thinking what I know. And I knowthat my aunt Helen would still be alive today if she just bought meone present like everybody else. She would be alive if I were bornon a day that didn't snow.”

“It was the kind of kiss that mademe know that I was never so happy in my whole life.”

“It's like he would take a photograph of Sam, and the photographwould be beautiful. And he would think that the reason thephotograph was beautiful was because of how he took it. If I tookit, I would know that the only reason it's beautiful is because ofSam.”

“So, I guess we are who we are for alot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them.”

“If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don't want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it, too. I want them to be able to do whatever they want around me.”

“Enjoy it. Because it's happening.”

“Downtown. Lights on buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.”

“The inside jokes weren't jokes anymore. They had become stories. Nobody brought up the bad names or the bad times. And nobody felt sad as long as we could postpone tomorrow with more nostalgia. ”

“And I thought about how many people have loved those songs. And how many people got through a lot of bad times because of those songs. And how many people enjoyed good times with those songs. And how much those songs really mean. I think it would be great to have written one of those songs. I bet if I wrote one of them, I would be very proud. I hope the people who wrote those songs are happy. I hope they feel it's enough. I really do because they've made me happy. And I'm only one person.”

“I walked over to the hill where we used to go and sled. There were a lot of little kids there. I watched them flying. Doing jumps and having races. And I thought that all those little kids are going to grow up someday. And all of those little kids are going to do the things that we do. And they will all kiss someone someday. But for now, sledding is enough. I think it would be great if sledding were always enough, but it isn't.”

“And I thought that all those little kids are going to grow up someday. And all of those little kids are going to do the things that we do. And they will all kiss someone someday. But for now, sledding is enough. I think it would be great if sledding were always enough, but it isn't.”

“I am very interested and fascinated how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other.”

“I would die for you. But I won't live for you.”

“And all the books you've read have been read by other people. And all the songs you've loved have been heard by other people. And that girl that's pretty to you is pretty to other people. and that if you looked at these facts when you were happy, you would feel great because you are describing 'unity.”

“there is this one photograph... that is just beautiful. it would be impossible to describe how beautiful it is, but i’ll try. if you listen to the song “asleep,” and you think about those pretty weather days that make you remember things, and you think about the prettiest eyes you’ve known, and you cry and the person holds you back, then i think you will see the photograph. ”

“And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.”

“I think that if I ever have kids, and they are upset, I won't tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it wouldn't change the fact that they were upset. And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn't really change the fact that you have what you have.”

“I have decided that maybe I want to write when I grow up. I just don't know what I would write.”

“So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be.”

“We accept the love we think we deserve.”

“It's strange because sometimes, I read a book, and I think I am the people in the book.”