“I tried to scream
But my head was underwater
They called me weak
Like I'm not just somebody's daughter”

“Before I am your daughter,
your sister,
your aunt, niece, or cousin,
I am my own person,
and I will not set fire to myself
to keep you warm.”

“I'm not choosing you because our being together makes sound, solid sense. I choose you because you make me forget there's a choice.”

“One day you will ask me which is more important? My life or yours? I will say mine and you will walk away not knowing that you are my life.”

“I'm not perfect. But at least I'm not fake.”

“Please, don't talk to me about 'Pure Awareness' or 'Dwelling in the Absolute'.
I want to see how you treat your partner,
your kids, your parents, your precious body.
Please, don't lecture me about 'the illusion of the separate self' or how you achieved permanent bliss in just 7 days.
I want to feel a genuine warmth radiating from your heart.
I want to hear how well you listen,
take in information that doesn't fit your personal philosophy.
I want to see how you deal with people who disagree with you.
Don't tell me how awakened you are, how free you are from ego.
I want to know you beneath the words.
I want to know what you're like when troubles befall you.
If you can fully allow your pain and not pretend to be invulnerable.
If you can feel your anger yet not step into violence.
If you can grant safe passage to your sorrow yet not be its slave.
If you can feel your shame and not shame others:
If you can fuck up, and admit it.
If you can say 'sorry', and really mean it.
If you can be fully human in your glorious divinity.
Don't talk to me about your spirituality, friend.
I'm really not that interested.
I only want to meet YOU.
Know your precious heart.
Know the beautiful human struggling for the light.
Before 'the spiritual one'.
Before all the clever words.”

“We can forget that prayer is not about doing something, but rather about being with Someone. Prayer is an encounter. Mother Teresa would tell her novices that when they entered the chapel, they should say to Jesus: “Here I am, Lord. Love me.” Prayer is not rattling off words, nor a simple psychological activity, nor punching the clock, nor magic, nor ritual words and postures. It is not a monologue where we speak at God, but a dialogue where we converse with Him who is closer to us than we are to ourselves. Prayer is about falling head-over-heels in love with the God who is head-over-heels in love with us.”

“I am not like other people. I am burning in hell. The hell of myself.”

“Every time I think that I’ve arrived, I am told I’m only just beginning…
And if I’m not discouraged yet, it’s only ‘cause I’m willing…”

“I am not well. I could have built the Pyramids with the effort it takes me to cling on to life and reason.”