The Collected Regrets of Clover

by Mikki Brammer

But I gradually began to realize that pitying them wouldn’t take away their pain. The kindest thing I could do for them was to look them in the eye and simply acknowledge their presence as human beings. That’s when I’d promised myself I’d never turn away from someone’s pain, no matter how much I wanted to.

This is my absolute favorite quote from the book. I want it to become my life’s motto.