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Quote by Naomi Shihab Nye

“Apparently people commonly died when their loved ones were out of the room. Bathroom break. Quick trip down to the cafeteria for a grilled cheese. It was easier to die if you didn't have family members to worry about at that exact moment. Easier for the one who was dying, maybe.”

Quote by Naomi Shihab Nye

Work

There Is No Long Distance Now

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Author

Naomi Shihab Nye
Naomi Shihab Nye

Naomi Shihab Nye is an American poet born on March 12, 1952. Her work blends personal experiences with a wide range of cultural backgrounds, known for its concise and profound language style. more

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“At its worst, the purpose of a psych ward is to normalize you back into a community that is anything but. Its purpose is not to heal you, but to make you stay sick so that you can function alongside the lies of a country steeped in them, so you can function alongside the lies you are forced to tell about yourself. We are all doubling in order to live, and the psych ward tells you to squash that inner knowing. It's simply not useful if you hope to thrive. At its best, psychiatric care gives you tools to let your inner knowing walk alongside the insanity of the world and create survival tools to trust what you know and survive the gaslighting and discrimination that seeks to burn down your house.”

“Imelda held out the nightshade. "This plant is both poisonous and medicinal. It can bring death with a touch, and healing when used with knowledge. Every person, like this nightshade, is comme ci, comme ça, like this, like that. Good, bad, poison, remedy. The world isn't divided into heroes and villains, but a spectrum of choices. Learn to discern who wields their poisonous nature, who uses darkness to inflict pain. And more importantly," she softened her voice, "learn to recognize who offers healing, who nurtures, even when carrying shadows.”