Normal, in our house, is like a blanket too short for a bed--sometimes it covers you just fine, and other times it leaves you cold and shaking; and worst of all, you never know which of the two it's going to be.
Jodi PicoultRead
There is a reason the word belonging has a synonym for want at its center; it is the human condition.
Interpretation
The desire to belong is a fundamental aspect of being human.
In this quote, Jodi Picoult suggests that the concept of 'belonging' is deeply intertwined with our intrinsic desires and needs. At the heart of the word lies the notion of 'want,' highlighting how essential it is for individuals to feel connected and integrated within their communities and relationships, reflecting a shared human experience of seeking companionship and acceptance.
In practice
During a speech about community engagement, I might quote Jodi Picoult to emphasize the importance of belonging.
Normal, in our house, is like a blanket too short for a bed--sometimes it covers you just fine, and other times it leaves you cold and shaking; and worst of all, you never know which of the two it's going to be.
Whether it was power they sought, or revenge, or love-well, those were all just different forms of hunger. The bigger the hole inside you, the more desperate you became to fill it.
she told me she'd be a phoenix." The image of the mythical creature rising from the ashes glitters in my mind. "They don't really exist." "She said that depends on whether or not there's someone who can see them.
for 100,000 (dollars), you [can] flatten a house with a wrecking ball. Imagine how much less it [takes] to destroy something than it [does] to build it in the first place.
But if you seek forgiveness, doesn't that automatically mean you cannot be a monster? By definition, doesn't that desperation make you human again?
when you [lose someone], it feels like the hole in your gum when a tooth falls out. You can chew, you can eat, you have plenty of other teeth, but your tongue keeps going back to that empty place, where all nerves are still a little raw
One of the reasons I'm on tour is to meet people. I consider it a reconnaissance. You know, I consider myself like in a military operation. I don't feel like a citizen.
We must celebrate difference until difference doesn't make a difference in the way we treat each other.
People don't really understand, but having people stare, and point, and take pictures, even if it is in a positive framework, is quite isolating; there's no two ways about it. You feel a little bit, you know, freakish.
Privacy is so sacred, and any time a victim is returned, a survivor is found and rescued, privacy is one of the greatest gifts we can give them because if they decide to share, that's up to them, and they will come forward.
Men are allowed to have passion and commitment for their work... a woman is allowed that feeling for a man, but not her work.
So think long and hard about who you're spending the most time with, for wherever they are headed, so are you.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.