Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

by Jeanette Winterson

‘What I want does exist if I dare to find it …’

why some people cope better than others with adversity – I come back to something to do with saying yes to life, which is love of life, however inadequate, and love for the self, however found.

We always think the thing we need to transform everything – the miracle – is elsewhere, but often it is right next to us. Sometimes it is us, ourselves.

I have noticed that doing the sensible thing is only a good idea when the decision is quite small. For the life-changing things, you must risk it.

I never did drugs, I did love – the crazy reckless kind, more damage than healing, more heartbreak than health.

That wasn’t arrogance; it was desire. I was all desire, desire for life.

Love. The difficult word. Where everything starts, where we always return. Love. Love’s lack. The possibility of love.