Come visit me in Hell

“Far too many people are looking for the right person, instead of trying to be the right person.”

“You’re so hard on yourself. Take a moment. Sit back. Marvel at your life: at the grief that softened you, at the heartache that made you wiser, at the suffering that strengthened you. Despite everything you still grow. Be proud of this.”

“People need to be encouraged. People need to be reminded of how wonderful they are. People need to be believed in - told that they are brave and smart and capable of accomplishing all the dreams they dream, and more. Remind each other of this.”

“Ever since the first day I’d seen him, none of my thoughts made sense. My entire world had turned upside-down, and I had no explanation why.”

“But you play that passage like it’s the memory of love. You’re so young, yet you know desertion, abandonment. That’s why you play that third movement the way you do. Most cellists, they play it with joy. But for you, it’s not about joy, it’s about the memory of a joyful time that’s gone for ever.”