Browsing Quotes By Stephen Chbosky, page 1
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I think that if I ever have kids, and they are upset, I won’t tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it wouldn’t change the fact that they were upset. And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn’t really change the fact that you have what you have. Good and bad. Just like what my sister said when I had been in the hospital for a while. She said that she was really worried about going to college, and considering what I was going through, she felt really dumb about it. But I don’t know why she would feel dumb. I’d be worried, too. And really, I don’t think I have it any better or worse than she does. I don’t know. It’s just different. Maybe it’s good to put things in perspective, but sometimes, I think that the only perspective is to really be there. Like Sam said, Because it’s okay to feel things. And be who you are about them.
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:48 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
It’s like if I blamed my aunt Helen, I would have to blame her dad for hitting her and the friend of the family that fooled around with her when she was little. And the person that fooled around with him. And God for not stopping all this and things that are much worse. And I did do that for a while, but then I just couldn’t anymore. Because it wasn’t going anywhere. Because it wasn’t the point.
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:47 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
“Charlie, don’t you get it? I can’t feel that. It’s sweet and everything, but it’s like you’re not even there sometimes. It’s great that you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn’t need a shoulder. What if they need the arms or something like that? You can’t just sit there and put everybody’s lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love. You just can’t. You have to do things.”
“Like what?” I asked. My mouth was dry.
“I don’t know. Like take their hands when the slow song comes up for a change. Or be the one who asks someone for a date. Or tell people what you need. Or what you want.”Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:46 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I remember going to sleep last night, and I realized something. Something that I think is important. I realized that throughout the course of the evening, I wasn’t happy about Craig and Sam breaking up. Not at all.
I never once thought that it would mean Sam might start liking me. All I cared about was the fact that Sam got really hurt. And I guess I realized at that moment that I really did love her. Because there was nothing to gain, and that didn’t matter.Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:45 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
There was this one part where the main character, who is this architect, is sitting on a boat with his best friend, who is a newspaper tycoon. And the newspaper tycoon says that the architect is a very cold man. The architect replies that if the boat were sinking, and there was only room in the lifeboat for one person, he would gladly give up his life for the newspaper tycoon. And then he says something like this…
“I would die for you. But I won’t live for you.”
Something like that. I think the idea is that every person has to live for his or her own life and then make the choice to share it with other people. Maybe that is what makes people “participate.” I’m not really certain. Because I don’t know if I would mind living for Sam for a while.Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:44 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they’re here. If they like their jobs. Or us. And I wonder ho smart they were when they were fifteen. Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It’s like looking at all the students and wondering who’s had their heart broken that day, and how they are able to cope with having three quizzes and a book report on top of that. Or wondering who did the heart breaking. And wondering why. Especially since I know that if they went to another school, the person who had their heart broken would have had their heart broken by somebody else, so why does it have to be so personal?
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:44 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I know I brought this all on myself. I know that I deserve this. I’d do anything not to be this way. I’d do anything to make it up to everyone. And to not have to see a psychiatrist, who explains to me about being “passive aggressive,” and to not have to take the medicine he gives me, which is too expensive for my dad. And to not have to talk about bad memories with him. Or to be nostalgic about bad things.
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:43 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I asked my sister what I should do, and she said the best thing to do is be honest about my feelings. My psychiatrist said the same thing. And then I felt really sad because I thought maybe I was different from how Mary Elizabeth originally saw me, too. And maybe I was lying by not telling her that it was hard to listen to her all the time without getting to say anything back. But I was trying to be nice like Sam said I should. I don’t know where I went wrong.
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:41 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I like girls. I really do. Because they can think you look good in a bathing suit even when you don’t.
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:40 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
Sometimes, I look outside, and I think that a lot of other people have seen this snow before. Just like I think that a lot of other people have read those books before. And listened to those songs.
I wonder how they feel tonight.
…I guess what I’m saying is that this all feels very familiar. But it’s not mine to be familiar about. I just know that another kid has felt this. This one time when it’s peaceful outside, and you’re seeing things move, and you don’t want to, and everyone is asleep. And all the books you’ve read have been read by other people. And all the songs you’ve loved have been heard by other people. And that girl that’s pretty to you is pretty to other people. And you know that if you looked at these facts when you were happy, you would feel great because you are describing “unity.”
It’s like when you are excited about a girl and you see a couple holding hands, and you feel so happy for them. And other times you see the same couple, and they make you so mad. And all you want is to always feel happy for them because you know that if you do, then it means that you’re happy too.Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:40 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I walked over to the hill where we used to go and sled. There were a lot of little kids there. I watched them flying. Doing jumps and having races. And I thought that all those little kids are going to grow up someday. And all of those little kids are going to do the things that we do. And they will all kiss someone someday. But for now, sledding is enough. I think it would be great if sledding were always enough, but it isn’t.
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:36 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I really think that everyone should have watercolors, magnetic poetry, and a harmonica.
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:34 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I had an amazing feeling when I finally held the tape in my hand. I just thought to myself that in the palm of my hand, there was this one tape that had all of these memories and feelings and great joy and sadness. Right there in the palm of my hand. And I thought about how many people have loved those songs. And how many people got through a lot of bad times because of those songs. And how many people enjoyed good times with those songs. And how much those songs really mean. I think it would be great to have written one of those songs. I bet if I wrote one of them, I would be very proud. I hope the people who wrote those songs are happy. I hope that they feel it’s enough. I really do because they’ve made me happy. And I’m only one person.
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:33 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
Do you enjoy holidays with your family? I don’t mean your mom and dad family, but your uncle and aunt and cousin family? Personally, I do. There are several reasons for this.
First, I am very interested and fascinated by how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other. Second, the fights are always the same.Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:32 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I think about all this sometimes when I’m watching a football game with Patrick and Sam. I look at the field, and I think about the boy who just made the touchdown. I think that these are the glory days for that boy, and this moment will just be another story someday because all the people who make touchdowns and home runs will become somebody’s dad. And when his children look at his yearbook photograph, they will think that their dad was rugged and handsome and looked a lot happier than they are.
I just hope I remember to tell my kids that they are as happy as I look in my old photographs. And I hope that they believe me.Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:31 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I always wanted to be on a sports team like that. I’m not exactly sure why, but I always thought it would be fun to have “glory days.” Then, I would have stories to tell my children and golf buddies. I guess I could tell people about Punk Rocky and walking home from school and things like that. Maybe these are my glory days, and I’m not even realizing it because they don’t involve a ball.
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:30 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I want Sam to stop liking Craig.
Now, I guess maybe you think that’s because I am jealous of him. I’m not. Honest. It’s just that Craig doesn’t really listen to her when she talks. I don’t mean that he’s a bad guy because he’s not. It’s just that he always looks distracted.
It’s like he would take a photograph of Sam, and the photograph would be beautiful. And he would think that the reason the photograph was beautiful was because of how he took it. If I took it, I would know that the only reason it’s beautiful is because of Sam.
I just think it’s bad when a boy looks at a girl and thinks that the way he sees the girl is better than the girl actually is. And I think it’s bad when the most honest way a boy can look at a girl is through a camera. It’s very hard for me to see Sam feel better about herself just because an older boy sees her that way.Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:29 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
I didn’t know that other people thought things about me. I didn’t know that they looked
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:26 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
“I feel infinite.”
And Sam and Patrick looked at me like I said the greatest thing they ever heard. Because the song was that great and because we all really paid attention to it. Five minutes of a lifetime were truly spent, and we felt young in a good way. I have since bought the record, and I would tell you what it was, but truthfully, it’s not the same unless you’re driving to your first real party, and you’re sitting in the middle seat of a pickup with two nice people when it starts to rain.Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:26 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment! -
The next day at the homecoming dance, I saw them dancing together. Dave and his girl. And I got really mad. It kind of scared me how mad I got. I thought about walking up to Dave and really hurting him like maybe I should have really hurt Sean. And I think I would have, but Sam saw me and put her arm around my shoulder like she does. She calmed me down, and I guess I’m glad she did because I think I would have gotten even madder if I had started hitting Dave, and his girl stopped me because she loved him. I think I would have gotten even madder about that.
Speaker: Stephen ChboskyPosted: 20 Aug 2008 at 4:25 PMComments: None... Be the first to comment!