All That You Leave Behind Quotes

“I even presume to sit at his desk while I write this book, hoping some magical transference will take place and I’ll be gifted, if only for this moment, with his way with words. I feel like a boy trying to fit into his dad’s running shoes.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“The reward for achievement is a hunger for more, a blessing that lives inside a curse.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“He told us we had to be careful about who we told our story to, but he wouldn’t let us hide from it ourselves.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“I started to understand the spasm of grief. Once someone close to you dies, you feel loss more plainly, as it is a part of your everyday experience. It feels crushing as the wave hits you, but then you can see the tide begin to drift in and out again after the storm.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“You should take responsibility for not just the good stuff, but the bad stuff. I have noticed in leadership, in covering people over and over, it’s the people who are capable of taking ownership over failure, and apologizing very directly for their shortcomings, that succeed.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“Love and be good to that person in the mirror and you will love and be good to the people around you.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“THINGS I LEARNED FROM DAVID CARR: A LIST Listen when you enter a room. Don’t buy into your myth. Don’t be the first one to talk, but if you do talk first, say something smart. Speak and then stop; don’t stutter or mumble; be strong in what you have to say. Be defiant. You have to work the phones. Call people. Don’t rely on emails. Ask questions but ask the right questions. Ask people what mistakes they’ve made so you can get their shortcuts. Know when enough is enough. Make eye contact with as many people as possible. Don’t be in shitty relationships because you are tired of being alone. Be grateful for the things you have in this life. You are lucky. Practice patience even though it’s one of the hardest things to master. Failure is a part of the process, maybe the most important part. Alcohol is not a necessary component of life. Street hotdogs are not your friend. Remind yourself that nobody said this would be easy. If more negative things come out of your mouth than positive, then Houston, we have a problem. We contain multitudes. Always love (See band: Nada Surf). Have a dance move and don’t be afraid to rock it. Don’t go home just because you are tired. Don’t take credit for work that is not yours. If your boss does this, take note. Be generous with praise and be specific in that praise: “That line was killer.” Cats are terrible; they poop in your house. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Do the next right thing. Our dogs are us. Only cuter. And finally:
You are loved and you belong to me, the world, and
yourself. BOOKS I READ WHILE WRITING THIS BOOK The Night of the Gun: A Reporter Investigates the Darkest Story of His Life—His Own by David Carr The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion The Gilded Razor: A Memoir by Sam”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“We’re all broken, in one way or another. To pretend or expect otherwise is stupid. And when you come up short, just say so, don’t make excuses. Excuses—they explain everything and they excuse nothing. Just be honest about what you did wrong, take ownership, and resolve to do better.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“Objects tell us the stories of the people who held them.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“What happens to all this stuff when a person is no longer here? The remaining objects are both comforting and devastating, compelling me to sit and stare at them.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“This is what they don’t discuss with you after loss. The rage that bubbles up inside you, creating further divisions in your already fractured self.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“When I closed my eyes I could hear him saying those things out loud. Whenever I would send him a flare email, his response was always relentlessly positive and made me feel like I was part of a tribe, a team. That someone was taking care of me. I knew, then and now, that this was a rare relationship for a child to have with a parent. For the most part, parents love and want to protect their children, but how many of us really know one another? I wondered what caused this sense of closeness, and I realized I’d never even asked him this.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“Objects tell us the stories of the people who held them. I see this at the cabin and our house. What they valued and cherished and what they couldn’t live without. It’s hundreds of things that are each a self-contained puzzle piece.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“He frequently urged me to stop trying to wrap my head around things and to instead wrap my arms around them. But you know, what I certainly cannot wrap my head around is his absence, and I dearly want to wrap my arms around him.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“I often think of the people who never thought I would do anything. Those are your allies. Those are your little secret friends. You keep them close.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“Excuses—they explain everything and they excuse nothing. Just be honest about what you did wrong, take ownership, and resolve to do better.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“it’s the people who are capable of taking ownership over failure, and apologizing very directly for their shortcomings, that succeed.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“So many people spend time like their phone right now is burning a hole in their pocket. Like, “Who’s on there? What are they talking about?” And you know what’s going on when you’re thinking about that? Your whole life. Your whole life is going on.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“Don’t be a know-it-all. Ask the people around you.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“If you stay in your comfort zone, you’ll never know what you’re capable of.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“Don’t do anything you couldn’t explain to your ma.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“Working on your grand plan is like shoveling snow that hasn’t fallen yet. Just do the next right thing.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“But there are gunners, there are people who are really just heads and shoulders above everybody, and they’re bound for glory. You know what? They’re not the ones that are going to change the world. It’s somebody that was underestimated. It’s somebody that you do not know that’s really going to kill it. I guarantee you. I guarantee you, as somebody who has worked with young people. And you know what? Maybe you’re that person. I just want to say.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“Just do what is in front of you. Don’t worry about the plot to take over the world. Just do what is in front of you, and do it well. I think that if you concentrate on your plot to take over the world you’re going to miss things.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“Whenever I would send him a flare email, his response was always relentlessly positive and made me feel like I was part of a tribe, a team. That someone was taking care of me. I knew, then and now, that this was a rare relationship for a child to have with a parent.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“Once someone close to you dies, you feel loss more plainly, as it is a part of your everyday experience. It feels crushing as the wave hits you, but then you can see the tide begin to drift in and out again after the storm.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“No one gets to choose the traits they inherit from their parents.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir

“We love being your parents, but we also like being your fellow travelers on this part of the road.”
― Erin Lee Carr, All That You Leave Behind: A Memoir