“What right does my present have to speak of my past? Has my present some advantage over my past? What "grace" might have enlightened me? except that of passing time, or of a good cause, encountered on my way?”

“The good news is that you may have created my past and screwed up my present, but you have no control over my future. You don't know me at all.”

“You may have created my past and screwed up my present, but you have no control over my future.”

“I love metaphors and she has come up with the idea of lighting candles to symbolize my past, present, and future. My past and present were the two candles we started with; she would ask me what I would like to start with or deal with today. I would light up either my past or my present depending on the answer. During the last few sessions we've used the candles I've noticed my past melting more and more and becoming duller and duller in light.”

“My past is what God expects me to use to help others through their present.”

“I love my past. I love my present. I'm not ashamed of what I've had, and I'm not sad because I have it no longer.”