"I am slowly learning that some people are not good for me, no matter how much I love them. I deserve someone who is gentle and kind, because my soul is getting tired. Realizing that I deserve something good is one of the first steps."

"And kid, you’ve got to love yourself. You’ve got wake up at four in the morning, brew black coffee, and stare at the birds drowning in the darkness of the dawn. You’ve got to sit next to the man at the train station who’s reading your favorite book and start a conversation. You’ve got to come home after a bad day and burn your skin from a shower. Then you’ve got to wash all your sheets until they smell of lemon detergent you bought for four dollars at the local grocery store. You’ve got to stop taking everything so goddam personally. You are not the moon kissing the black sky. You’ve got to compliment someones crooked brows at an art fair and tell them that their eyes remind you of green swimming pools in mid July. You’ve got to stop letting yourself get upset about things that won’t matter in two years. Sleep in on Saturday mornings and wake yourself up early on Sunday. You’ve got to stop worrying about what you’re going to tell her when she finds out. You’ve got to stop over thinking why he stopped caring about you over six months ago. You’ve got to stop asking everyone for their opinions. Fuck it. Love yourself, kiddo. You’ve got to love yourself."

"I know people that turn into museums after the wrong people touched them, holding all of the beautiful things inside and not letting anybody close enough to see any details. I know people who dress their seasonal depression up in Sunday’s best. I know people who tuck their trauma in with them at night and roll over every morning to wake it up again. I know people who can’t quite look you in the eyes because they stare at the stars the same way, never going to be within reach no matter how hard you pretend you’re an astronaut. I know people who hold hands like they’re gripping the edge of a bridge and one loose finger might send them over the edge. I know people who can never hear the words I love you without looking over their shoulder first."