“Sometimes people say terrible things when they're scared. They don't mean to, but they can't help it. They lash out because if they can see that their words hurt someone else, it makes them feel as if they aren't completely powerless.”

“Nice people sometimes do terrible things because they don't want to do one small mean thing. It doesn't automatically make them a bad person forever.”

“Sometimes you fall in love with someone because of the way they laugh with their eyes the moments they make you feel beautiful even when you aren't and how you see their face every time someone says "Love"...”

“Crying can help, too. People are often afraid to cry because they are told that crying is for babies. Crying does not make you a baby, no matter what anyone says. There are times when people feel so bad that they can't express their feelings in words. At those times, crying helps.”

“When you don't think you can feel is when you learn you can smile until it hurts, and love until you're too scared to say it, because you need someone who loves you enough to look you in the eyes and say, 'You're beautiful the way you are It'll be ok. You're worth something.' because sometimes you forget. It's easier to believe when they say it. If you believe, it means that they matter to you. You want to bare your soul to them. Give them everything it takes to let you fall, and pray to God that they are there to catch you.”

“My mother says that when Mrs. Rowley is mean, which is generally the case, it is really because she is just unhappy, and who could blame her with a husband like that . . . She says this is really the only reason people are ever mean--they have something hurting inside of them, a claw of unhappiness scratching at their hearts, and it hurts them so much that sometimes they have to push it right out of their mouths to scratch someone else, just to give themselves a rest, a moment of relief.”