Momma and the Meaning of Life: Tales of Psychotherapy

I explain to my patients that abused children often find it hard to disentangle themselves from their dysfunctional families, whereas children grow away from good, loving parents with far less conflict. After all, isn't that the task of a good parent, to enable the child to leave home?

every single person in the world is fundamentally alone. It’s hard, but that’s the way it is, and we have to face it.

I hate it that she has so insinuated herself into the interstices of my mind that I can never root her out. And most of all, I hate that at the end of my life I feel compelled to ask, "How'd I do, Mama?".

Confruntarea cu moartea iminenta poate sa propulseze omul in intelepciune si la o noua profunzime a existentei.

Cinstea mai presus de toate. Un sceptic convins in toate celelalte privinte, Ernest credea cu o fervoare fundamentalista in forta tamaduitoare a cinstei. Catehismul lui cerea cinste – insa o cinste temperata, selectiva. Si cinste responsabila, plina de grija: cinste in serviciul ingrijirii.

Oamenii se iubesc pe ei insisi daca vad o imagine iubitoare a lor reflectata in ochii cuiva de care le pasa cu adevarat.

Am invatat in munca mea, ca se tem cel mai mult de moarte cei care se apropie de ea avand prea multa viata netraita in ei. Cel mai bine este sa ne folosim toata viata. Sa nu-i lasam mortii decat drojdiile, nimic altceva decat un castel ars pana in temelii.