Fact of life #2

When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.

Paulo Coelho

exactly a year ago.

"I want to feel happy whenever I get up in the morning. I want someone to talk to all the time, every day, about absolutely anything. I want someone who will take the extrovert out of my introverted self, someone who brings out the best in me. Someone who has the words to make me smile, the jokes to make me laugh, the shoulder for me to lean on and the hand for me to hold. Most importantly, I want someone who will prove to me that love is not a big hype that everyone falls for." - via letters to crushes.com

how can someone perfect fall in love with someone so flawed

Naoko pressed against my arm. "I told you in the letter, didn't I? I'm a far more flawed human being than you realize. My sickness is a lot worse than you think: it has far deeper roots. And that's why I want you to go on ahead of me if you can. Don't wait for me. Sleep with other girls if you want to. Don't let thoughts of me hold you back. Just do what you want to do. Otherwise, I might end up taking you with me, and that is the one thing I don't want to do. I don't want to interfere with your life. I don't want to interfere with anybody's life. Like I said before, I want you to come to see me every once in a while, and always remember me. That's all I want."

"It's not all I want, though," I said.

"You're wasting your life being involved with me."

"I'm not wasting anything."

"But I might never recover. Will you wait for me forever? Can you wait 10 years, 20 years?"

"You're letting yourself be scared by too many things," I said. "The dark, bad dreams, the power of the dead. You have to forget them. I'm sure you'll get well if you do."

"If I can," said Naoko, shaking her head.

"If you can get out of this place, will you live with me?" I asked. "Then I can protect you from the dark and from bad dreams. Then you'd have me instead of Reiko to hold you when things get difficult."

Naoko pressed still more firmly against me.

"That would be wonderful." she said.

an excerpt from Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami

a lazy saturday afternoon