“The force behind the movement of time is a mourning that will not be comforted. That is why the first event is known to have been an expulsion, and the last is hoped to be a reconciliation and return. So memory pulls us forward, so prophecy is only brilliant memory - there will be a garden where all of us as one child will sleep in our mother Eve, hooped in her ribs and staved by her spine.” FirstsChildrenHas BeensLastsMotherTimeForceMemoriesSleepBehindsKnownEventsMovementReturnGardenBrilliantMourningProphecyReconciliationSpineRibsExpulsion Author:Marilynne Robinson
“In the event of an oxygen shortage on airplanes, mothers of young children are always reminded to put on their own oxygen mask first, to better assist the children with theirs. The same tactic is necessary on terra firma. There's no way of sustaining our children if we don't first rescue ourselves. I don't call that selfish behavior. I call it love.” IfsWayFirstsChildrenYoungMotherEventsBehaviorOur ChildrenSelfishMaskAirplaneRescueOxygenTacticsShortageYoung ChildrenSustaining Author:Joyce Maynard