My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

by Stephanie Perkins

“You’re a kaleidoscope. You change every time I look away.”

“Would you rather be great at something you like, or just okay at something you love?”

Papa says it’s not an easy thing to ask a child to believe in what they can’t see; he says it’s its own magic. He says that if you have that magic inside you, you should protect it all your life and never let it go, because once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.

He says presents aren’t important, but I think they are—not because of how much they cost, but for the opportunity they provide to say I understand you.

“Rules make people feel safe. But they can turn into judgments. Condemnation is easy, Vaughn. The harder choice is love, and it’s one my dad makes every day.”

“If you just want to go away then any ticket will get you there.”