Before Us

Love is inclusive and something humans share in many ways. It doesn’t define us, it refines us—makes us better for having taken a chance on it. We are different people at different times in our lives.

Humans are interchangeable puzzle pieces. We fit into more than one space.

Dreams are meant to be chased.

If you can’t find a little humor in tragedy, life will kick your ass.

Labels shouldn't matter. Deep down, I know this. But sometimes a label feels like validation. Validation of one's feelings. Validation of one's intentions.

It should be every woman’s goal in her romantic life to never settle for a man who looks at her with anything but that level of adoration.

think hearts are the one thing in life that work better broken. All those cracks and holes let the love inside. Love is fluid, filling every space, moving with time, a solvent for all other emotions. Until it breaks, I’m not sure we really feel true love.

The most complicated relationship you will ever have is the one with yourself. We are our own greatest mystery, our own biggest challenge. Life isn’t a quest to find ourselves; it’s a quest to define ourselves.

Love is not good at chasing expectations. It thrives on acceptance.

The truth requires absolute risk. Truth preserves no one or anything but the truth.

It’s all about the bounce.” “The bounce?” “Suzie always complimented my clothes, my hair, handbags, even my smile. And I don’t think all of it was worthy of recognition. But after she’d compliment me in some way, I’d have an extra bounce in my step. It’s so easy to give someone a little bounce. So why the heck don’t we do it more often? It took two seconds and virtually no energy to compliment that lady’s handbag, but she’ll have that extra bounce in her step for … well, potentially the rest of the night.

Denial blurs good judgment almost as much as whisky.

You have a million firsts left in your life. I have a handful of lasts. Don’t waste a single minute being anything but courageous.

Soulmates are not S O L E mates. Without one, we are not alone. Many souls feed our own. Humans are interchangeable puzzle pieces; we fit into more than one space.

I don’t trust him to care that much. I don’t trust him to do the right thing. I don’t trust his kind of love.

I bite my tongue because the ego’s favorite meal is dignity.

I have never met a person whose greatest need was anything other than real, unconditional love. You can find it in a simple act of kindness toward someone who needs help. There is no mistaking love. It is the common fiber of life, the flame that heats our soul, energizes our spirit and supplies passion to our lives.

Suzie always complimented my clothes, my hair, handbags, even my smile. And I don’t think all of it was worthy of recognition. But after she’d compliment me in some way, I’d have an extra bounce in my step. It’s so easy to give someone a little bounce. So why the heck don’t we do it more often? It took two seconds and virtually no energy to compliment that lady’s handbag, but she’ll have that extra bounce in her step for … well, potentially the rest of the night.

Embrace humility because it will make you stronger than the most stubborn pride

Forgiveness, at best, is a bandage to cover wounds. Words leave emotional scars.

I have to take a minute to catch my breath and tell my heart to chill because it’s impossible not to fall in love with her every single time I see her.

The most complicated relationship you will ever have is one with yourself. We are our own greatest mystery, our own biggest challenge. Life isn’t a quest to find ourselves, it’s a quest to define ourselves.

To Cleida, the strongest and most inspiring woman I have ever known “I have never met a person whose greatest need was anything other than real, unconditional love. You can find it in a simple act of kindness toward someone who needs help. There is no mistaking love. It is the common fiber of life, the flame that heats our soul, energizes our spirit and supplies passion to our lives.

I love you as much as one human can possibly love another human. I have never loved anyone more than I love you. So just … marry me, Emersyn.

You like my what?” he calls. “It’s too long,” I say without glancing back at him. “The list is too long.