“I'm afraid that if my dream is realized, I'll have no reason to go on living.”

“I'm not afraid of dying. I'm afraid I'll never get a chance to live!”

“I am afraid. I'm afraid of everything. I'm afraid of the dark, of closed-in spaces, of being alone and of getting too close. I'm afraid that I'll never again have the life I've always known, my feet in the dust and my heart full. I'm afraid of being alive; I'm afraid to die.”

“I'm afraid to.Claire moves the pillow to her side of the bed. "Afraid to do what?"To sleep. I'm afraid that if I fall asleep, I'll lose this feeling. I'll start dreaming and everything good that's just happened will mean nothing.”

“I'm no longer afraid of this pain. Although it hurts and i'll be sore for days afterward, the accomplishment, perspective, and pride I'll derive will tranquilize it. My abrasions and my blisters will become my medals. It's the same reason mothers choose to become pregnant again. Some pain is worth it.”

“Because I'll tell everything to you alone, because it's necessary, because you're necessary, because tomorrow I'll fall from the clouds, because tomorrow life will end and begin. Have you ever felt, have you ever dreamed that you were falling off a mountain into a deep pit? Well, I'm falling now, and not in a dream. And I'm not afraid, and don't you be afraid either. That is, I am afraid, but I'm delighted! That is, not delighted, but ecstatic...Oh, to hell with it, it's all the same, whatever it is. Strong spirit, weak spirit, woman's spirit--whatever it is!”