“Holding my hands, kissing the palms, his smile is ecstatic, jubilant, adoring, and the song playing speaks for him, “Have you ever seen the light...the way it shines in you.”

“Emerson, you just shared your deepest secret with me. I value that. Don't make light of it."If he wasn't already holding my heart in the palm of his hand, I would have taken it out and given it to him.”

“HE will raise me up on eagles wings...bear you on the breath of dawn...make you shine like the sun and hold you in the palm of HIS hand..”

“So you mustn't be frightened, dear Mr. Kappus, if a sadness rises in front of you, larger than any you have ever seen; if an anxiety - like light and cloud-shadows, moves over your hands and everything you do. You must realize that something is happening to you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in the palm of its hand and will not let you fall.”

“If he wasn't already holding my heart in the palm of his hand, I would have taken it out and given it to him right then.”

“Why won't you hold me?" I ask, drawing back a little.He laughs a little, holds out his hands as if in explanation. They are covered in dirt and paint and blood.I pull his hand to mine, put my palm against his. I can feel the grit of sand, the slick of paint, and the cuts and scrapes that speak of his own journey."It will all come clean," I tell him.”