The Forest of Enchantments

by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Motherhood taught me something new about love. It was the one relationship where you gave everything you had and then wished you had more to give.

anger gives out a powerful vibration even when it’s wordless.

For the sake of love, I give up my anger.

I confess: I wanted also for him to know that I’d saved his life. I’d let go of my anger, yes, for the sake of my children. But I wouldn’t have minded a little gratitude, the look of shame in his eye, an apology. But

guilt keeps us from seeing things that are otherwise as clear as a cloudless sky.

this is one of the final things I learn about love: it’s found in its purest form, on this imperfect earth, between mothers and young children, because there’s nothing they want except to make each other happy.

Rage rises up in me until my whole body is scorched, for some kinds of burning don’t require a fire.

balance duty with love.

‘I forgave you a long time ago,’ I say to Ram. ‘Though I didn’t know it until now. Because this is the most important aspect of love, whose other face is compassion: It isn’t doled out, drop by drop. It doesn’t measure who is worthy and who isn’t. It is like the ocean. Unfathomable. Astonishing. Measureless.’