Ash

“Our initial thinking about the keys to educational reform was wrong. The variables were deeply emotional and cultural.”
― David Edward Goldberg, A Whole New Engineer: The Coming Revolution in Engineering Education

“Cradling her to his chest, he cursed himself for taking too much blood. He was certain he hadn't taken enough for her to need a transfusion, but it had clearly left her weak.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered, glad she hadn't found the deed in his thoughts. He had feared he wouldn't be able to hide it from her.
The dog began to whine again.
"It's okay, boy," he murmured. "She's okay. She's just tired."
Several minutes passed while he stroked her hair and held her close despite the pain it caused. She was petite and looked as though she only weighed about a hundred pounds. After spending all damned night digging his sorry ass up, no wonder she passed out.
"I haven't seen it yet," she mumbled against his neck as consciousness returned, "but I'm willing to bet your ass is actually quite nice."
Startled laughter escaped him, inspiring another groan. "Don't make me laugh. It hurts too much."
"Sorry. I couldn't resist.”
― Dianne Duvall, Awaken the Darkness

“To hold our tongues when everyone is gossiping, to smile without hostility at people and institutions, to compensate for the shortage of love in the world with more love in small, private matters; to be more faithful in our work, to show greater patience, to forgo the cheap revenge obtainable from mockery and criticism: all these are things we can do. ”
― Hermann Hesse

“As I got older, I discovered that nothing within me cried out for a baby. My womb did not seem to have come equipped with that famously ticking clock. Unlike so many of my friends, I did not ache with longing whenever I saw an infant. (Though I did ache with longing, it is true, whenever I saw a good used-book shop)”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage