Sarah Rees Brennan Quotes

Sympathy butters no parsnips.

she knew she could help him best by being silent and by being near

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing... not healing, not curing... that is a friend who cares.

We can never untangle all the woes in other people's lives. We can't produce miracles overnight. But we can bring a cup of cool water to a thirsty soul, or a scoop of laughter to a lonely heart.

Perhaps everything terrifying is deep down a helpless thing that needs our help.

Before you do something to help, your presence already can bring some relief.

Unused to the situations in which I find myself, and embarassed by the slightest difficulties, I seldom discover, till too late, how I ought to act.

"I just don't know," I said, my voice sounding bumby, not like mine, "how do you help someone who doesn't want your help. What do you do when you can't do anything?"

And it seemed hard to believe that these people who were so close to me couldn’t see how desperate I was, or if they could they didn’t care enough to do anything about it, or if they cared enough to do anything about it they didn’t believe there was anything they could do, not knowing—or not wanting to know—that their belief might have been the thing that made the difference.

There are those who are awkward in the face of sorrow, fearing to say the wrong thing; to them, I say, there is no wrong in comfort, ever. A kind word, a consoling arm ... these things are ever welcome.

I went to the top lady, the Queen, sobbing and I said, ''What do I do? I'm coming to you, what do I do?''And she said, ''I don't know what you should do, Charles is hopeless''. And that was it, that was help.

I made your sorrow mine also, that you might have help in bearing it.

But come. No explaining or mending. Be beside me somewhere.

In my room I'd barely closed my eyes when the blonde from the movie house came along and sang her whole song of sorrow just for me. I helped her put me to sleep, so to speak, and succeeded pretty well... I wasn't entirely alone... It's not possible to sleep alone.

All you can do for another person is be an environment in which if they wanted to come up for air, they could.

consolation is a beautiful word. everyone skins his knee-that doesnt make yours hurt anyless.

Give now. Somewhere, someone feels crappy. You can help.

How grateful are we--how touched a frank and generous heart is for a kind word extended to us in our pain! The pressure of a tender hand nerves a man for an operation, and cheers him for the dreadful interview with the surgeon.

There is no substitute for love and caring and compassion and human beings helping one another.

If you need to talk about your childhood, you’re safe with me. If you need to break into a million pieces, I’m right here, Lev. I’ll find them all, I’m good at details, and I’ll put you back together. You’re safe here.

I wish I could take away your pain. I wish I could go back to when you were born and take you somewhere safe. Far away from all the people who’ve hurt you. (Kiara) You’re doing that now. (Nykyrian)

I can't heal your pain but I can see it. And you don't have to be lost. Not forever.

True compassion is not about giving or taking. True compassion is doing just what is needed.

I wish- I wish I could dry these tears, I wish I could make this better for you. But I don't know how.

You cannot save people. You can only love them.