“no pain was permanent, and no loss was real. That even though people treated each other abominably, even though they left, even though you let them go, even though you never laid eyes on them again, this fugue that linked you continued, whether you liked it or not.”

“Sometimes my grief is overwhelming, and even though I understand that we will never see each other again, there is a part of me that wants to hold on to you forever.”

“Women and men who have established no-lie relationships talk about them with reverence, even when they are not permanent and, in fact, even when they are not romantic. Why? In the no-lie relationship there is acceptance of who each partner is, rather than a shallow idealization. There is a genuine commitment to the relationship beyond the immediate. You each act as though you are in a real partnership that will last.”

“Some of the greatest moments are made, even though you wouldn’t choose to go through them, from the hard times.”

“Even though it hurt, there are kinds of pain you couldn't speak out loud.”

“Even though friends say they are interested in your life, they never really want to talk about you as much as you want them to. (68)”