Quotes About Vulnerability

After the age of about . . . what, sixteen? We're all damaged. Every single beautiful, stupid, precious one of us. Damaged, damaged, damaged." When

These tears were difficult: they didn't want to come out and they didn't want to stay in.

He began to understand why some people feared the dark so much. The sheer helplessness of not knowing what was right in front of you was terrifying.

Now what is it that moves our very hearts and sickens us so much at cruelty shown to poor brutes? … They have done us no harm and they have no power of resistance; it is the cowardice and tyranny of which they are the victims which make their sufferings so especially touching. Cruelty to animals is as if man did not love God…. There is something so very dreadful, so Satanic, in tormenting those who have never harmed us, who cannot defend themselves, who are utterly in our power.21

There is something so very dreadful, so satanic, in tormenting those who have never harmed us, who cannot defend themselves, who are utterly in our power. -Cardinal John Henry Newman

There is something so very dreadful, so satanic, in tormenting those who have never harmed us, who cannot defend themselves, who are utterly in our power.' -Cardinal John Henry Newman

Much as I admire anyone who bothers to take the matter seriously, some theorists, at least in their more abstract arguments, miss a crucial point by assuming that to be cared for, a creature must somehow be made our equal, which isn't even true in our human affairs, where often those we love most are the weak and vulnerable.

You can never trust the heart of another?

I have also come to understand that although some people are naturally happier than others, their happiness is still vulnerable and incomplete, and that achieving durable happiness as a way of being is a skill. It requires sustained effort in training the mind and developing a set of human qualities, such as inner peace, mindfulness, and altruistic love.

A lot of people are afraid of critique because they think it means you aren't supporting them. For me, the most important thing in any kind of relationship is the critical engagement.

Every time a trick hangs up on me, I gain a renewed faith in humanity—someone really cares!

Romantic googling can be as dangerous as drunk text messaging. Of course hell hath no fury like a woman who Google-bombs her old flames name with a word like impotent.

Women fear that men will have their way and then slither away. Men fear that women will come back and boil their bunnies.

Don't get stabbed. It makes everything awkward.

Life is always going to be a series of ouch-making moments, and the question was, was I going to go all fetal position, or was I going to woman up? I went into fetal position on the bed to think about this. Fetal position turned out to be very comfortable.

We're going to die, Keith said, the moment he was gone. This man is a serial killer. We're going to die, and he's going to bury us in his garden and build a shed on us.

One question, I said. Did you tell me all that because you think I'm going to die? No, he said. It's because you're doing something brave, and I felt I should too. I'll take that as a yes, I said.

There is something about early mornings that changes your perceptions subtly. The light is new; no one has put on the defences of the day. All is reset and not quite real yet.

It's us, Stephen said. Oh, thank God, said a voice. Callum emerged from behind the Dumpster. Even with all that was going on, it was hard not to take notice of this: he wore only his underpants and his socks and shoes. ...I don't think I hid my staring very well either. Go ahead and change, Stephen said, handing me the bag. I'll go and get the car. Please be quick, Callum added. This is not as fun as it appears.

I'm scared. To Nate's credit, he did not ask why she was scared, and he did not tell her not to be scared. Maybe he understood how terrifying it is to do the thing you meant to do.

It's been a long week," Nate said. "Don't leave again. Don't leave me with these people." "Which people?" "Any people." "I don't count as people?" "Of course not," he said. "It's been all feelings and love. I want to go back to numbness and avoidance. You're great at that stuff.

I felt so alone on that train... a weird, unnatural kind of alone that bore into me. It was feeling just beyond fear and somewhere to the left of sadness.

It just seemed like telling the truth would mean admitting some weakness

And then, it arrived. Anxiety does not ask your permission. Anxiety does not come when expected. It's very rude. It barges in at the strangest moments, stopping all activity, focusing everything on itself. It sucks the air out of your lungs and scrambles the world. Her vision went spotty around the edges. The ringing in her ears swelled again. Her knees buckled.