Not believing in anything is also a religion. - Cesare Pavese

But she didn't laugh. "When you have children," she said, staring at her glass, "you accept life. Do you accept life?"

Anchorites used to ill-treat themselves in the way they did, so that the common people would not begrudge them the beatitude they would enjoy in heaven.

In general, the man who is readily disposed to sacrifice himself is one who does not know how else to give meaning to his life.
The profession of enthusiasm is the most sickening of all insincerities.