The Law of Inertia Quotes

“Write a two-page reflection about your life. What do you like about it? What don’t you like about it? What do you live for? There’s a French term for the latter question. Raison d ’être. It means “reason for being.” My mum used to say that Elliot and I were her raison d’être. Mum had a reason, now she lacks a being. I have a being, I just lack a reason. I live because of the law of inertia. An object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. If I were to reflect on my life, I would say it’s like being engulfed in quicksand, and as much as I want to get out, I slowly sink deeper, towards an inevitable end. I want someone to pull me out, but I don’t know how they can. Their only reactions are to stand on dry land and watch me with concerned expressions, urging me to just walk like they are. Living is being in the middle of a dark tunnel, claustrophobic and boxed in, and feeling something closing in behind you, and realising you can only beat it by running. But the tunnel never ends, and you come to realise that you can’t run forever. You go for as long as you possibly can, hoping to God that you’ll see a light before you can’t run anymore. You desperately want to live. But everyone has their limit. And when you eventually hit yours, there’s nothing more you can do. Life is temporary. Nothing is certain about it except for the fact that it will end. It can end on your terms or as a surprise. The thing is . . . I don’t like surprises.”
― Sophie Gonzales, The Law of Inertia

“If anyone could listen to my silence and hear the words I wanted to speak, it was him.”
― S. Gonzales, The Law of Inertia

“See, the thing is that happiness is a whore. I’ve never met a more disloyal emotion in my life. Nothing like misery, which proposes to you on the first date. Yet, like a mistress I swear off every time, all happiness has to do is peek its head around the corner, contrite and apologetic, and I give myself over to it completely. It’s transient and fleeting, and I know it won’t still be in my bed the next morning, but while I have it, it’s everything. That night, it was everything.”
― Sophie Gonzales, The Law of Inertia

“Honestly, he was so beautiful. Like a delicately crafted piece of crystal, reflecting rainbow light. Anyone else would find it simple to handle him with care. I was hopeless, though. I would only break him into shards. I would block his light sooner or later. Even though I knew he’d be better, happier, with anyone else but me, I was too selfish to let him go. I was addicted to him. Maybe things would be better tomorrow. Maybe I’d fix things tomorrow.”
― Sophie Gonzales, The Law of Inertia

“Good things can’t last by nature. If they did, they would stop being “good.” It’s probably for the best though. How can you appreciate something, if you don’t face the threat of its loss?”
― Sophie Gonzales, The Law of Inertia

“It’s not about being good enough.” Exasperated, I tried to find the words to explain the tangle of feelings that bound me. There had to be words for it. There were always words. “You’re perfect. But having you doesn’t magically make me happy.”
― Sophie Gonzales, The Law of Inertia

“He approached life like he was sprinting down a hill. As though as long as he concentrated and held full speed, he’d keep his traction. Sometimes I worried about what would happen if he misstepped, however. Would he manage to keep his momentum, or would he hit the ground?”
― Sophie Gonzales, The Law of Inertia

“I didn’t have enough time to read the messages, but I could tell straight away people suddenly had a lot more to say to Ash than they did to their other classmates. Instead of making me happy, it made me want to lose my shit. A: For everyone not saying any of this to Ash when it might’ve made a fucking difference. B: ’Cause it was so goddamn typical that they’d only remember to give a shit about Ash now it was too late, but they were all too dense to take the chance to pay each other the same kind of attention. Like, why the hell were Ash’s affirmations so much longer? Why didn’t they all get that anyone in the fucking class could be feeling the way Ash was? Why did they still need to be told to care?”
― Sophie Gonzales, The Law of Inertia

“I’m sorry I can’t be what you want me to be,” I replied, raising my voice. “I’m sorry, okay?”
― Sophie Gonzales, The Law of Inertia