❝

If you ever feel embarrassed, remember:
You are smaller than a supernova,
Quieter than a black hole,
And less radiant than a flicker in a white dwarf’s eye.

That is why it is okay to say to someone
I love you, do you love me too?
Because a million things already do not love you,
And none of that matters.

So, if the answer is no,
Instead of collapsing in pain,
Pile it on the heap of things that you love
That do not love you back:
Every beautiful landscape you have ever seen,
All your material possessions,
Including the phone beside you
Your favorite book, movie, and actor,
The food you are digesting.

If the answer is yes,
Tell this person now.
Do not hesitate and think we can save this for later,
After the smoke from the volcano leaves,
After you are old enough to know better,
After you lose twenty pounds.

You will forget why you didn’t,
And the collapse will be unavoidable,
It will feel as big as the sky.

❞

❝ My heart stopped. It just stopped beating. And for the first time in my life, I had that feeling. You know, like the world is moving all around you, all beneath you, all inside you, and you’re floating. Floating in midair. And the only thing keeping you from drifting away is the other person’s eyes. They’re connected to yours by some invisible physical force, and they hold you fast while the rest of the world swirls and twirls and falls completely away. ❞

❝ My heart stopped. It just stopped beating. And for the first time in my life, I had that feeling. You know, like the world is moving all around you, all beneath you, all inside you, and you’re floating. Floating in midair. And the only thing keeping you from drifting away is the other person’s eyes. They’re connected to yours by some invisible physical force, and they hold you fast while the rest of the world swirls and twirls and falls completely away. ❞

❝ I am one of the searchers. There are, I believe, millions of us. We are not unhappy, but neither are we really content. We continue to explore life, hoping to uncover its ultimate secret. We continue to explore ourselves, hoping to understand. We like to walk along the beach, we are drawn by the ocean, taken by its power, its unceasing motion, its mystery and unspeakable beauty. We like forests and mountains„ deserts and hidden rivers, and the lonely cities as well. Our sadness is as much a part of our lives as is our laughter. To share our sadness with one we love is perhaps as great a joy as we can know - unless it be to share our laughter. We searchers are ambitious only for life itself, for everything beautiful it can provide. ❞