Name Not Taken

by Madeleine Henry

“No

matter what you do—or don’t do—there’s always going to be someone to judge you for it.

When the stars go dark

“Maybe you’re an orphan when you have parents, but they’re not the ones you need.”

But I never hit send. In every message, I sensed that I was begging, and when you have to beg someone to stay, they’ve already left.

Some tragedies are so loud they mute everything around them. Joy feels like a betrayal to whoever’s in pain.

I’ve never struggled with my invisible days before.

Men are simpler than you imagine, my sweet child. But what goes on in the twisted, tortuous minds of women would baffle anyone . .

“Everything is a battle of perspective. There’s always a winner, and when you lose—when you decisively lose—then your view becomes the crazy one. So when people call you ‘insane,’ they’re letting you know who won.”

You can’t be tormented by someone unless you’re a little desperate for them to love you.”

“It’s heartbreaking that sometimes, it takes a tragedy to say how we feel.”