“Did you ever, in that wonderland wilderness of adolesence [sic] ever, quite unexpectedly, see something, a dusk sky, a wild bird, a landscape, so exquisite terror touched you at the bone? And you are afraid, terribly afraid the smallest movement, a leaf, say, turning in the wind, will shatter all? That is, I think, the way love is, or should be: one lives in beautiful terror.”

“When you live afraid of your neighbor, the monster you should most walk in terror of thrives.”

“I want to marry you, Malda - because I love you - because you are young and strong and beautiful - because you are wild and sweet and - fragrant, and - elusive, like the wild flowers you love. Because you are so truly an artist in your special way, seeing beauty and giving it to others. I love you because of all of this, because you are rational and highminded and capable of friendship - and in spite of your cooking!”“But - how do you want to live?”“As we did here - at first,” he said. “There was peace, exquisite silence. There was beauty - nothing but beauty. There were the clean wood odors and flowers and fragrances and sweet wild wind. And there was you - your fair self, always delicately dressed, with white firm fingers sure of touch in delicate true work. I loved you then.”

“Love can either heal or destroy. Love is so powerful that it can sweep you up like a leaf in the wind. Up and down, twirling here and there. Hitting objects that stand in the way, making you stronger.And sometimes a hand catches the fragile leaf and crushes it. Love is beautiful as well. That hand couldcatch that leaf and hold it like a baby bird. Stroke it with care. Love is powerful. A lesson I will never ever forget.”

“No one is ever going to give you something that they're too afraid to even claim for themselves. People don't know themselves, so they don't like to see other people figure it out and live their lives in ways that they themselves cannot. So they try to box you in, and limit you, so they don't feel inadequate. But you don't need their approval- the only person who ever, ever limits you is yourself.”

“The reason we all like to think so well of others is that we are all afraid for ourselves. The basis of optimism is sheer terror.”