“Those words should have sent Kurt's hackles up, but he was starting to realize a relationship meant protecting each other, because you couldn't bear for your partner to hurt.”

“Most marital relationships hit the skids because the partners involved concentrate more on pribbles and prabbles, having words with each other and pulling caps dramatically.”

“He watched their faces, and he knew each meant desperately what she said because they loved each other, and deep inside surely each knew the words were false, that the true words were those unspoken.”

“In any relationship each person should support the other; they should lift the other up.”

“We hurt each other, is the point. Hurt, annoy, embarrass, but move on. People, it just doesn't work that way. Your own feelings get so complicated that you forget the ways another human being can be vulnerable. You spend a lot of energy protecting yourself. All those layers and motivations and feelings. You get hurt, you stay hurt sometimes. The hurt affects your ability to go forward. And words. All the words between us. Words can be permanent. Certain ones are impossible to forgive.”

“In other words, it's one of those books you thrust on your partner with an incredulous cry of "This is me!”