Along the Saltwise Sea Quotes

“Everyone has another self inside them who comes out when they feel the time is right. For most people, that second self is summoned by fear or panic, which are similar and not the same. For others, that second self is brought out by the feeling of love or safety. The trick with second selves is not learning how to get rid of them—which can’t be done, no matter how hard a person tries—but finding a way to teach them to be kinder, one simple step at a time. Even second selves can be taught the way of walking through the world transmuting harm into healing; even second selves can grow.”
― A. Deborah Baker, Along the Saltwise Sea

“Whoever knows more gets to explain the thing. It doesn't matter how much older you are, or how much smarter you think you are, if you don't know the thing, you don't get to be the teacher.”
― A. Deborah Baker, Along the Saltwise Sea

“Everyone has another self inside them who comes out when they feel the time is right. For most people, that second self is summoned by fear or panic, which are similar and not the same. For others, that second self is brought out by the feeling of love or safety. The trick with second selves is not learning how to get rid of them -- which can't be done, no matter how hard a person tries -- but finding a way to teach them to be kinder, one simple step at a time. Even second selves can be taught the way of walking through the world transmuting harm into healing; even second selves can grow.”
― A. Deborah Baker, Along the Saltwise Sea

“These were trees that seemed to aspire toward tangling the sun in their branches and burning away to ash for the sheer delight of it all.”
― A. Deborah Baker, Along the Saltwise Sea

“She's never going to forgive us for getting away from her."
Jibson nodded slowly. "Some people are like that," he said.
"I don't think she's people," said Avery. "A blizzard isn't people. A bad storm isn't people. The Page of Frozen Waters is more like those things than she is like a people."
"We can't decide who is and isn't people, even when we think we should be able to," said Jibson. "I've met a lot of people where it would have been easier to pretend that they weren't, but all the pretending there is wouldn't have changed what they were. As long as someone's still people, you have to treat them with kindness.”
― A. Deborah Baker, Along the Saltwise Sea

“I'm not very good at being a person," she said. "I think I lost the knack of it somewhere along the line, if I ever had the knack. But even I know you were just very cruel to her, and you should't be cruel to your friends when you have any other choice in the world. You need to go and apologize."
"What?" asked Avery again, disbelieving this time, like he couldn't understand what she was talking about. "Why should I apologize for telling her that she can't go outside in a storm and get herself killed? That is just common sense! Would you be asking me to apologize if I'd let her go and be sweped away?"
"No, because we wouldn't let you do that," said Niamh. "There's a difference between speaking truly and being cruel. You were cruel. You chose words you knew would hurt her, and you slung them like stones. Words have power. If they didn't, we wouldn't carry them the way we do. Sometimes, a word is the only weapon you have. Go apologize.”
― A. Deborah Baker, Along the Saltwise Sea

“Torture" is a big word to involve in a conversation about doing dishes; most people, when they hear it, will think of knives and needles and fiery brands pressed against unprotected skin. But the truth is, torture will take different forms for different people. Sometimes it can be hunger, or thirst, or cruel words. In Zib's case, it was the denial of adventure and the forced adherence to a part she had been refusing to play since the first time someone had spoken the word "girl" in her hearing.”
― A. Deborah Baker, Along the Saltwise Sea