Quotes From "The Syrian Virgin" By Zack Love

Honest dishonesty. That’s quite the oxymoron — but I like the originality that you’ve brought to bear in the art of rationalization. Maybe you should consider becoming a lawyer, ” he added jokingly. Zack Love

You and your siblings are the most precious part of my life. And of all my children, you have the most potential to go anywhere you wish in this world — your test scores and grades have always been among the highest of your peers. But it’s clear now that you cannot reach your full potential in Syria. Zack Love

It’s not a bad thing, if you’re responsible about it. Just don’t start having boyfriends. Wait until you’ve found your husband.” “And how am I supposed to find a husband if I can’t have a boyfriend until then?” I asked ironically. Zack Love

And you can do far more for us from America than you can from here, where you’re just another defenseless Christian. So if you really want to help, Inas, then you’ll go to the very best school you can get into and earn the best grades you can. Zack Love

It will all work out, Inas. You come from a long line of survivors and strong women. So everything will be fine in the end. And we are always with you in spirit, to guide you and love you. Zack Love

I’m not sure. But — unless I’m struggling with the darkness within — I like to sustain the illusion that death is actually much further from me than it really is. Zack Love

Compartmentalization is an unconscious psychological defense mechanism employed to avoid cognitive dissonance. Zack Love

Sometimes violence is necessary to prevent even more violence, ” I concluded, almost as if it were an epiphany. Zack Love

Because in the end, we die. It’s like Chekhov observed in so many of his plays: ‘in two hundred years, no one will even know we were here. Zack Love

So our narcissism has bared forth an unflattering nakedness that shames our species. But this is humanity. This is our condition. Zack Love

Well, on some level, it’s similar to the psychological phenomenon of helplessness, where the will to try is lost. You get to the point where you just assume that your spontaneous call to a friend will go to voicemail or an assistant, and you decide not to bother. Zack Love

Don’t invite envy to your house — you never know who will show up, ” she used to warn me. Zack Love

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (Edmund Burke) Zack Love

Isn’t it better just to make your own money, and then spend it how and when you want, and with dignity? Zack Love

So your theory would seem to be that lying to yourself is no lie at all because you haven’t deceived any third party. And if you then convince yourself of those lies, you’ll believe them enough to repeat them to other with the genuine conviction that they’re true.” "Something like that, ” I conceded uneasily. Zack Love

I kept returning to this new and bizarre question: is there anything that actually is as it seems? Is anything perceptually straightforward? Maybe that’s inherently impossible, because impressions are, by their very nature, cumulative — the sum of all your interactions with and perceptions of things. Zack Love

You have to take this with you too, ” she said, opening a box and holding up a silver necklace with the Syriac cross (a crucifix with a budding flower shape on each tip) dangling from it. “My mother gave it to me mother, who passed it to me. Now is the right time to give it to you. Not just because you’re leaving and will need something that always connects you to your roots, but also because tonight we remember her. . Zack Love

And you never fall behind?”“ Of course I do. But I always feel guilty when that happens. After all, my journal is the oldest and most loyal friend I have. And it never interrupts me when I’m speaking, ” he added, with a boyish grin. Zack Love

They truly embodied goodness and generosity — like angels sent to save me in my hour of greatest need. Mohammed had risked everything to keep a promise to my father. He and his family saved not only my life, but also my faith in others. Zack Love

Indeed, wounded loved can make for fierce vengeance. And, from what I know of Anissa, it does seem a bit out of character for her to behave so spitefully, so I'd like to think that she really is just deeply hurt, angry and looking for some way to injure me back... I hope she knows how well she's succeeded. Zack Love

So if you choose me, then you have declared me more special to you than anyone else, because only one man can have that honor. Zack Love

With the music of our singing in the background, I looked at the church candles and thought about the surreal connection between images and memory. The peaceful and joyous candles flickering there during the Christmas ceremony projected warmth, comfort, and familiarity — even though thy emitted the same kind of fiery energy as the flames caused by the war. Zack Love

It's bewildering to me how you can just start chatting with a complete stranger on Facebook, and - next thing you know - it seems as if there's some intense connection with the person - or at least you feel that closeness and hope it's mutual Zack Love

Paradoxically, the more Michael kept me at a distance, the more I trusted him - perhaps because he was always willing to help me with tips and introductions even though he wanted absolutely nothing from me (and never reciprocated my nosiness with personal questions of his own with me). Zack Love

That could also be because at one point during the film, our hands found each other. And when I felt Michael's middle finger caress the inside of my palm, it sent a tickle up my spine, and the fingers of my right hand were soon exploring his left hand, and we each took turns tracing the contours of the other's hands. Zack Love