“If the mind's not strong, the body acts weak, even if it's not. If the mind says it's too cold or too rainy or too windy to run, the body will be more than happy to agree. If the mind says it would be better to rest or recover or cut practice, the body will be glad to oblige.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“I wipe away my tears and nod, because the pain in my leg is nothing compare to the one in my heart.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“It's disturbing how fast weeds take root in my garden of worthiness.
They're so hard to pull.
And grow back so easily.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“I realize something. That wasn't a finish line for me...This is my new starting line.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“Don't sum up a person based on what you see, or what you don't understand; get to know them”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“I am a runner. That's what I do. That's who I am. Running is all I know, or want, or care about.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“As much as thinking this upsets me, I'm starting to see that I need the merry-go-round much more than it needs me, and in the end my choice is to hop back on or get left in the dust.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“It’s amazing how two thin pieces of clothing can hold such deep memories. Laughter, pain, victory, defeat, friendship, fatigue, elation… they’re all there, but only to the person who’s worn the uniform”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“Either people like running or they don't. Either people get it or they don't. And if they don't, they just think people who like it are crazy.
Which is okay.
That makes us even.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“Don't sum up person based on what you see, or what you don't understand; get to know them.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“That's the funny thing about running. The deceptive thing about it. It may seem mindless, but its really mental. If the minds strong, the body acts weak, even if its not.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“And of course I felt sorry for you, but …” He stops running. “Didn’t you read what I wrote on your running leg? Does it say, I feel sorry for you? No! It says, You inspire me. I want to be around you because you inspire me! You’re amazing. I think you’re the most …” I stop running, and I look at him. His”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“It's to have people see her instead of her condition. That's all that anybody with a disability wants. Don't sum up the person based on what you see, or what you don't understand; get to know them.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“I am a runner. That’s what I do. That’s who I am. Running is all I know, or want, or care about. It was a race around the soccer field in third grade that swept me into a real love of running. Breathing the sweet smell of spring grass. Sailing over dots of blooming clover. Beating all the boys. After that, I couldn’t stop. I ran everywhere. Raced everyone. I loved the wind across my cheeks, through my hair. Running aired out my soul. It made me feel alive. And now? I’m stuck in this bed, knowing I’ll never run again.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“But I've never spoken to a grave before.
I don't know what to say.
I don't know how.
'I'm so sorry,' I choke out, but that's as far as I get before I start crying. I feel bad that she's gone. I feel overwhelmed. And I feel guilt.
Guilt that I've recovered.
Guilt that I'm happy.
Guilt that I ever thought she was the lucky one.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“He’s only going out with you because he feels sorry for you,” she whispers as she invades my personal space on a classroom ramp. “You’re, like, his community service project.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
“I wipe away my tears and nod, because the pain in my leg is nothing compared to the one in my heart.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, quote from The Running Dream
Wendelin Van Draanen
Born place: Chicago, Illinois, The United States
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“I think it must've been because of Bobby that Rusty came around at first. Rusty was a scrawny, rat-faced dandy of a kid who acquired his nickname by virtue of his rust-coloured hair. I mentioned Bobby was beautiful in a way that even guys who went around with girls noticed and Rusty was not the sort to go around with girls at all and so was even more likely to pay his respects to Bobby's beauty.”
― Suzanne Rindell, quote from Three-Martini Lunch
“Finally, he smiled, and although his smile was bumpy because some of his teeth were jagged and broken, it was a warming, infectious smile that was reflected in his eyes. It made her smile widely in return. She felt as if the room had been lit up. He held out his arms, and she went across the room to him, almost running. She buried her face in his shirt, her nose wrinkling up as the scent of his cologne mixed with the nutty, sourish smell of camphor that filled the room. He put his arms around her, but gently, so that there was space between his forearms and her back, holding her as if she was to fragile to hug properly. Awkwardly, he patted her light, bushy aureole of dark brown hair, repeating: "Good girl. Fine daughter.”
― Helen Oyeyemi, quote from The Icarus Girl
“To everyone who gets me, thank you. To everyone who doesn't, thank you too. You give me the motivation to keep succeeding just to piss you off.”
― Shane Dawson, quote from It Gets Worse: A Collection of Essays
“Morrowseer shook his head. “Some NightWings think so, but none of our scientists have been able to find any when they examine our tribe’s corpses. Nor have we had any success replicating RainWing venom shooting.” He scowled at the bird and abruptly ripped off one if its wings. “You may have this,” he said ungenerously, tossing it at Starflight. Starflight”
― Tui T. Sutherland, quote from The Dark Secret
“It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine, and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.”
― Thomas Paine, quote from The Age of Reason
Mr. Sammler's Planet
The Hollow Crown
Evil Librarian
The Blood Mirror
The Last Anniversary
The Paper Menagerie...BookQuoters is a community of passionate readers who enjoy sharing the most meaningful, memorable and interesting quotes from great books. As the world communicates more and more via texts, memes and sound bytes, short but profound quotes from books have become more relevant and important. For some of us a quote becomes a mantra, a goal or a philosophy by which we live. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the author’s best ideas.
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