#par

Mr. Lisbon knew his parental and neighborly duty entailed putting the retainer in a Ziploc bag, calling the Kriegers, and telling them their expensive orthodontal device was in safe keeping. Acts like theses -- simple, humane, conscientious, forgiving -- held life together. Only a few days earlier he would have been able to perform them. But now he took the retainer and dropped it in the toiler. He pressed the handle. The retainer, jostled int he surge, disappeared down the porcelain throat, and, when waters abated, floated triumphantly, mockingly, out, Mr. Lisbon waited for the tank to refill and flushed again, but the same thing happened. The replica of the boy's mouth clung to the white slope. ↗

— Jeffrey Eugenides

#grief #parents #society #death

she ran away in her sleep and dreamed of paradise ↗

— Unknownnown

#sleep #dreams

Mike did not seem to grasp the idea of Creation itself. Well, Jubal wasn't sure that he did, either--he had long ago made a pact with himself to postulate a Created Universe on even-numbered days, a tail-swallowing eternal-and-uncreated Universe on odd-numbered days--since each hypothesis, while equally paradoxical, neatly avoided the paradoxes of the other--with, of course, a day off each year for sheer solipsist debauchery. ↗

— Robert A. Heinlein

#hypotheses #indecision #paradoxes #solipsism #the-universe

I think that the best thing we can do for our children is to allow them to do things for themselves, allow them to be strong, allow them to experience life on their own terms, allow them to take the subway...let them be better people, let them believe more in themselves. ↗

— C. JoyBell C.

#children #fatherhood #growing-up #inspirational #inspirational-life

It seemed like it was always autumn in this field - it was fitting really. Everything was shaded with the bronzes and yellows of faded pictures from an old photo album, it was a realm where uncomfortable nostalgia reigned. I noticed it more after my experience in the dream. There I was an actor in the play, here I was a spectator. ↗

— Mike Jackson

#death #memory #nostalgia #taven-s-departing #death

Death was a leech; no matter which side of the spectrum you were on, either dead or alive, it fed. It either acquired your soul or devoured all your joyful emotions. ↗

— Laura Kreitzer

#angels #fantasy #fiction #kreitzer #paranormal-romance

We must prepare the ground for creativity. And if this also gives rise later to success in the economic sense, success in terms of Euros and Cents, this will by no means reduce my joy. ↗

— Johannes Rau

#cents #creativity #economic #euros #gives

And what if I need something?' 'Find it yourself.' Connor tsk-ed. 'Where did all the niceties go?' 'You're not a guest. You're family. Find your own fucking towels. ↗

— M.A. Grant

#shifter #werewolf #family

We love because we can lose. If there was no threat of separation, no death to shake us to our core, we probably wouldn't love much at all. ↗

— Donna Lynn Hope

#love #separation #death

The natural way of life is perfect as it, seeds die so flowers can bloom, and in time they give themselves back to the earth. ↗

— Martin Suarez

#departing #gone #life #life-lessons #suffering-clinging