The Road to Tender Hearts

My dad always said a person needs three things to be happy: something to do; someone to love; and something to look forward to.

The cat was amused at these two idiot humans, talking about how unfair death is, when it’s one of the few things everyone gets. Death is a magnificent invention, the cat knew, because it’s the impermanence of life that makes it beautiful.

They’re not, Dad. Kids aren’t resilient. That’s something adults like to say to make themselves feel better. To pretend that kids don’t feel as deeply as adults do. But kids are everything that happens to them. They’re sponges. Everything bad, everything good. Every hurtful thing you say. Every loving one.

Loving children is when they hold your hand with their little sweaty, meaty paw and you feel a direct wire to your heart. Loving children is even though they drive you up the wall, and life was so much easier before they were around, you hope they always, always come back home, and you miss them as soon as they’re gone. You miss them as soon as the school bus takes them away in the morning, and you worry about them, you constantly worry about them, hoping and praying that, somehow, they will be one of the lucky ones. One of the lucky ones who is happy, and safe, and stays off drugs and lives to a hundred and two and never knows any heartbreak or pain.

You need a story about your own life, or the bad stuff in your head writes the story for you.

You are the most joyful corner of my heart

I recognize that you have had an incredibly difficult time. I recognize that you had to dredge up more strength than you knew you had, and I am impressed that you are still standing. I don’t think I would be if that happened to me, but look at you, standing! On two feet!

Someone to love, something to do, something to look forward to.

Loving your kids is protecting them from stupid shit that they think they want to do, like run away to Mexico or jump off the top of the stairs or go on a boat without a lifejacket or when they’re in high school and they want to drink hard liquor. Loving kids is teaching them new things, and being delighted when they learn it. Loving children is when they hold your hand with their little sweaty, meaty paw and you feel a direct wire to your heart. Loving children is even though they drive you up the wall, and life was so much easier before they were around, you hope they always, always come back home, and you miss them as soon as they’re gone. You miss them as soon as the school bus takes them away in the morning, and you worry about them, you constantly worry about them, hoping and praying that, somehow, they will be one of the lucky ones. One of the lucky ones who is happy, and safe, and stays off drugs and lives to a hundred and two and never knows any heartbreak or pain.

Kids aren’t resilient. That’s something adults like to say to make themselves feel better. To pretend that kids don’t feel as deeply as adults do. But kids are everything that happens to them. They’re sponges. Everything bad, everything good. Every hurtful thing you say. Every loving one.

Loving children is even though they drive you up the wall, and life was so much easier before they were around, you hope they always, always come back home, and you miss them as soon as they’re gone. You miss them as soon as the school bus takes them away in the morning, and you worry about them, you constantly worry about them, hoping and praying that, somehow, they will be one of the lucky ones. One of the lucky ones who is happy, and safe, and stays off drugs and lives to a hundred and two and never knows any heartbreak or pain.

how on earth anyone can stomach raising children in a world where doom and disaster lurk around every corner.

Sometimes it’s good to cry instead. The important thing is feeling something.

I’m glad some bad stuff has happened to you, Sophie,” Luna said. “It means we’re not so weird.” “Oh, Luna. You’re not weird at all. Bad stuff happens to people all the time.” “It does?” “To everyone, at some point.

Sometimes limiting contact is healthy. Family obligation is not as important as mental health.

Sophie’s eyes narrowed. “I might be sad, but I am a good daughter to both you and Mom. And you’ve made it impossible for me to have a normal life. I feel like I’m buried under a collapsed building, and I’ll never climb out from under the rubble.” Sophie’s eyes teared up. Don’t fucking cry right now, she told herself.

but PJ was resistant to change, and Ivy catered to him.

The cat was amused at these two idiot humans

Some people will always ignore the sign, no matter how clear and direct it is.

For so many years, when he told people about what had happened to Kate, he hated what they always said: “I can’t imagine.” Try to imagine, he always wanted to say, and sometimes he did. Try to imagine how our family was destroyed overnight.

everyone needs “something to do, someone to love, something to look forward to,

The cat was amused at these two idiot humansi talking about how unfair death is, when it's one of the few things everyone gets. Death is a magnificent invention, the cat knew, because it's the impermanence of life that makes it beautiful.

a person needs three things to be happy: something to do; someone to love; and something to look forward to.

person needs three things to be happy: something to do; someone to love; and something to look forward to.

I can’t imagine.” It didn’t mean that PJ wasn’t capable of imagining it—it really meant I recognize that you have had an incredibly difficult time. I recognize that you had to dredge up more strength than you knew you had, and I am impressed that you are still standing. I don’t think I would be if that happened to me, but look at you, standing! On two feet!

Loving children is even though they drive you up the wall

And soon Dallas was performing a lap dance on one woman while other women whipped his abs and his butt—he’d taken off his pants

The doctor said he usually recommended two years between children, to prevent violent behavior and give the mother time to recover.

You need a story about your own life

PJ thought