To assign unanswered letters their proper weight, to free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves — there lies the great, th… - Joan Didion

To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves — there lies the great, singular power of self-respect.

"One thing in my defense, not that it matters: I know something Carter never knew, or Helene, or maybe you. I know what "nothing" means, and keep on playing."

I know why we try to keep the dead alive: we try to keep them alive in order to keep them with us. I also know that if we are to live ourselves there comes a point at which we must relinquish the dead, let them go, keep them dead. Let them become the photograph on the table. Let them become the name on the trust accounts. Let go of them in the water. Knowing this does not make it any easier to let go of him in the water.

She could remember it all but none of it seemed to come to anything. She had a sense the dream had ended and she had slept on.