“They were home. He always felt a bit like a snail, but instead of carrying his home on his back, he carried it in his arms.” LoveHome Book:A Rule Against Murder Source: A Rule Against Murder
“I don't understand,' Gamache said finally, bringing his eyes back to Myrna. 'Can you explain?' Myrna nodded. 'Pity and compassion are the easiest to understand. Compassion involves empathy. You see the stricken person as an equal. Pity doesn't. If you pity someone you feel superior.' 'But it's hard to tell one from the other,' Gamache nodded. 'Exactly. Even for the person feeling it. Almost everyone would claim to be full of compassion. It's one of the noble emotions. But really, it's pity they feel.' 'So pity is the near enemy of compassion,' said Gamache slowly, mulling it over. 'That's right. It looks like compassion, acts like compassion, but is actually the opposite of it. And as long as pity's in place there's not room for compassion. It destroys, squeezes out, the nobler emotion.' 'Because we fool ourselves into believing we're feeling one, when we're actually feeling the other.' 'Fool ourselves, and fool others,' said Myrna. 'And love and attachment?' asked Gamache. 'Mothers and children are classic examples. Some mothers see their job as preparing their kids to live in the big old world. To be independent, to marry and have children of their own. To live wherever they choose and do what makes them happy. That's love. Others, and we all see them, cling to their children. Move to the same city, the same neighborhood. Live through them. Stifle them. Manipulate, use guilt-trips, cripple them.' 'Cripple them? How?' 'By not teaching them to be independent.' 'But it's not just mothers and children,' said Gamache. 'No. It's friendships, marriages. Any intimate relationship. Love wants the best for others. Attachment takes hostages.' Gamache nodded. He'd seen his share of those. Hostages weren't allowed to escape, and when they tried tragedy followed.” LoveCompassionPityAttachmentNear Enemies Book:The Cruelest Month Source: The Cruelest Month
“Beauvoir left their home wanting to call his wife and tell her how much he loved her, and then tell her what he believed in, and his fears and hopes and disappointments. To talk about something real and meaningful. He dialed his cell phone and got her. But the words got caught somewhere south of his throat. Instead he told her the weather had cleared, and she told him about the movie she'd rented. Then they both hung up.” LoveThoughtsSharingRealtionship Book:Still Life Source: Still Life
“He never mentioned any bequests to you or your family?' 'No.' 'Though it wouldn't be unreasonable'—with great effort, she held his stare—'to expect something. Maybe even something substantial.' 'It's certainly possible that Stephen's left his billions to us. And it would be only human to imagine what that would be like.' He smiled. 'Wouldn't you?' 'Would you?' 'Me?' His smile faded until he looked almost wistful, and shook his head. 'No. I never wanted anything from Stephen except his company.' A snort of derision escaped her. But he continued to look at her, unapologetic. Almost, she saw now, in a kindly way. Inviting her, it seemed, to understand. What it meant to love so completely that all you wanted from that person was companionship.” LoveFriendshipCompanionship Book:All the Devils Are Here Source: All the Devils Are Here
“Her voice was slightly accented but her French was perfect. Someone who'd not just learned the language but loved it. And it showed with every syllable. Gamache knew it was impossible to split language from culture. That without one the other withered. To love the language was to respect the culture.” LoveAgeCultureLanguageVoicePerfectImpossibleSplitsSyllablesWithered Book:The Chief Inspector Gamache Series Source: The Chief Inspector Gamache Series
