“I lock my door upon myself, And bar them out; but who shall wall Self from myself, most loathed of all?”

“I disagree.” She squeezed lovingly. “Your dad has always supported you. All of this negativity, this pent-up aggression and self-loathing—”“I hardly loathe myself. Have you seen my ass?”

“Let them go, I tell myself. Say good-bye and forget them. I do my best, thinking of them one by one, releasing them like birds from the protective cages inside me, locking the doors against their return.”

“I've drawn myself apart from them all; I am my own skipper and later on I shall see where I come to land”

“I myself have read the writings and teachings of the heretics, polluting my soul for a while with their abominable notions, though deriving this benefit: I was able to refute them for myself and loathe them even more.”

“No Blame: The most liberating and empowering day of my life was the day I freed myself from my own self-destructive nonsense.”