“But the past cannot be changed, and we carry our choices with us, forward, into the unknown. We can only move on.”

“There are times when I wish I could go back and change the course of my life. Make different choices...But the past cannot be changed, and we carry our choices with us, forward, into the unknown. We can only move on. Do you remember that I told you that at Spence?”

“For all who believe that peace is not an ideal or pipe dream but anecessity. ~Libba BrayThey believe, and believing changes everything. ~Gemma, The sweet far thing, Libba BrayBu the past cannot be changed, and we carry our choices with us forward, into the unknown. ~Circe, The sweet far thing, Libba BrayStop, gemma, before you go mad.Or am I already there? ~Gemma, The sweet far thing, Libba Braypeace is not only better than war, but infinitely more aruous. ~George Shaw”

“But we can't go back. We can only go forward.”

“For a brief while, the women ask us questions: are we looking forward to our debuts? Did we enjoy this opera or that play? As we give our slight answers, they smile, and I cannot read what is behind their expressions. do they envy us our youth and beauty? Do they feel happiness and excitement for the lives that lie ahead of us? Or do they wish for another chance at their own lives? A different chance?”

“We abandon our backboards along with our decorum, racing for the stairs and the promise of freedom, however temporary it may be."Walk!" Mrs. Nightwing shouts. When we cannot seem to heed her advice, she bellows after us that we are savages not fit for marriage. She adds that we shall be the shame of the school and something else besides, but we are down the first flight of stairs, and her words cannot touch us.”

“One can never go back. One always has to move forward.”