Shadowgraphs

"It's time, I think. To let the past rest. Take something filled with anger and sadness and make it better."

"It's good to be home," he whispered.

He wondered how many times he would need to say that before he believed it.

"There are moments in your life, moments when chances have to be taken. It's scary because there is always the possibility of failure. I know that. I know that. Because once upon a time, I took a chance on a man that I had failed before. I was scared. I was terrified. I thought I might lose everything. But I wasn't living, then. The life I had before wasn't living. It was getting by. And I will never regret the chances I took. Because it brought me to them. To all of them. I made my choice. and you're making yours. [...] Don't you wish things could be different?"

"'Do you mind?" Arthur asked, nodding toward the house. "I've brought you something."

Linus squinted. "You have? I didn't ask for anything."

"I know. You wouldn't."

[...]

"What is it?" he asked, more eager than he would have expected. He coughed. "What I meant to say was, I don't need anything from you."

Arthur arched an eyebrow. "It's not about need, Linus. That's not what gift giving is for. It's about the joy that someone is thinking of you.'"

"I told myself they had enough. That the island and Zoe and I could provide everything they could ever need. I love them more than anything in this world. And I convinced myself that love would be enough to sustain them. But I didn't account for one thing."

"It's not my home," Linus admitted quietly. "I live in the city."

Helen scoffed. "A home isn't always the house we live in. It's also the people we choose to surround ourselves with. You may not live on the island, but you can't tell me it's not your home. Your bubble, Mr. Baker. It's been popped. Why would you allow it to grow around you again?"

"Sal whines softly, his nose cold against Linus's neck.

"It's not fair," Linus said, staring off into nothing. "The way some people can be. But as long as you remember to be just and kind like I know you are, what those people think won't matter in the long run. Hate is loud, but I think you'll learn it's because it's only a few people shouting, desperate to be heard. You might not ever be able to change their minds, but so long as you remember you're not alone, you will overcome."

"--and I know you're scared," Arthur was saying. "And I know sometimes you see things when you close your eyes that no one should ever see. But there is good in you, Lucifer, overwhelmingly so. I know there is. You are special. You are important. Not just to others. But to me. There has never been anyone like you before, and I see you for all that you are, and all the things you aren't. Come home. All I want you to do is come home."

"--Está bien haber tenido un amigo, aunque nos vayamos a morir. Yo estoy muy contento de haber tenido un amigo zorro..."

"Sólo se ve bien con el corazón. Lo esencial es invisible para los ojos."

"Si me domesticas, será como si mi vida se bañara de sol. Como conoceré un ruido de pasos que será diferente de todos los otros. Los otros pasos me hacen meterme bajo tierra. El tuyo me llamará fuera del cubil, como una música. Además, fíjate: ¿Ves allá los campos de trigo? Yo no como pan. Para mí el trigo es inútil. Los campos de trigo no me recuerdan nada. ¡Y eso es muy triste! Pero tú tienes cabellos color de oro. ¡Entonces, cuando me hayas domesticado, será maravilloso! El trigo, que es dorado, me traerá tu recuerdo. Y me gustará el rumor del viento en el trigo..."

"--Si alguien ama una flor de la que no existe más que un ejemplar en todos los millones y millones de estrellas, le basta eso para ser feliz cuando la mira. Piensa: "mi flor está ahí, en alguna parte..." ¡Pero si el cordero se come la flor, para él es como si, bruscamente, todas las estrellas se apagaran! ¡Y eso no es importante, no!"

"[La vanidad] siempre se me presentó no como un vicio, sino como una enfermedad… La vanidad es ausencia de orgullo, sumisión al populacho, humildad innoble. Pues buscas al populacho para que te haga creer en tus frutos…”

"'Era una vez un principito que vivía en un planeta poco más grande que él, y que necesitaba un amigo...' Para los que comprendan la vida, hubiera tenido así un aspecto mucho más verdadero."

"El agua fluye de arriba abajo. Eso ocurre gracias a la gravedad pero, en el corazón delas personas, también existe una especie de ley equivalente. Cuando conoces bien a quien tienes delante y confías en ella, no puedes mentir. Tu verdadero yo confiesa, en especial si tratas de esconder que estás triste o débil. Sin embargo, en esos momentos, cuando tienes delante a una persona en la que no confías tanto, mentir es más fácil."

"Fuimos amigos, y nos hemos vuelto extraños el uno al otro. Pero así debe ser, y no queremos ni ocultar ni disimular el hecho, como si tuviéramos que avergonzarnos de ello. Somos dos barcos, cada uno con su meta y su rumbo; podemos, claro, cruzarnos en nuestros caminos, y celebrar una fiesta juntos como antes – y entonces los gallardos barcos descansan tranquilamente en un mismo puerto y bajo un mismo sol, de modo que podría pensarse que ya habían llegado a su meta, y que tenían una sola meta. Pero entonces la fuerza omnipotente de nuestras tareas nos separó de nuevo hacia diferentes mares y diferentes zonas, y quizás nunca nos volvamos a ver – o quizás nos veamos, pero no nos reconozcamos; ¡los diferentes mares y soles nos han cambiado!"