Afghanistan has always been sort of a fractured nation, very tribal, where the countryside and the distant provinces have been run by custom, by tribal law and by tribal leaders rather than edicts from the central government in Kabul. Khaled Hosseini More Quotes by Khaled Hosseini More Quotes From Khaled Hosseini I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded; not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night. Khaled Hosseini pain gathering night Not a word passes between us, not because we have nothing to say, but because we don't have to say anything Khaled Hosseini say-anything I opened my mouth, almost said something. Almost. The rest of my life might have turned out differently if I had. But I didn’t. Khaled Hosseini mouths said might I want to tear myself from this place, from this reality, rise up like a cloud and float away, melt into this humid summer night and dissolve somewhere far, over the hills. But I am here, my legs blocks of concrete, my lungs empty of air, my throat burning. There will be no floating away. Khaled Hosseini block summer night There was so much goodness in my life. So much happiness. I wondered whether I deserved any of it. Khaled Hosseini goodness You see, some things I can teach you. Some you learn from books. But there are things that, well, you have to see and feel. Khaled Hosseini teach wells book there is a God, there always has been. I see him here, in the eyes of the people in this [hospital] corridor of desperation. This is the real house of God, this is where those who have lost God will find Him... there is a God, there has to be, and now I will pray, I will pray that He will forgive that I have neglected Him all of these years, forgive that I have betrayed, lied, and sinned with impunity only to turn to Him now in my hour of need. I pray that He is as merciful, benevolent, and gracious as His book says He is. Khaled Hosseini real faith book But then it passed, as all things do. Khaled Hosseini all-things I learned that the world didn't see the inside of you, that it didn't care a whit about the hopes and dreams, and sorrows, that lay masked by skin and bone. It was as simple, as absurd, and as cruel as that. Khaled Hosseini sorrow simple dream Whether you do something or decide to do nothing, either way, you are making a moral choice. And I hope people make the right one. Khaled Hosseini choices people way Beauty is an enormous, unmerited gift given randomly, stupidly. Khaled Hosseini enormous given it always hurts more to have and lose than to not have in the first place. Khaled Hosseini loses hurt firsts It's wrong what they say about the past, I've learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Khaled Hosseini amir peeking past Of all the hardships a person had to face, none was more punishing than the simple act of waiting. Khaled Hosseini hardship simple waiting When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife's right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness. Khaled Hosseini husband father children People say that eyes are windows to the soul. Khaled Hosseini window-to-the-soul eye people The problem, of course, was that [he] saw the world in black and white. And he got to decide what was black and what was white. You can't love a person who lives that way without fearing him too. Maybe even hating him a little. Khaled Hosseini black-and-white hate fear I have lived a long time, and one thing I have come to see is that one is well served by a degree of both humility and charity when judging the inner workings of another person's heart Khaled Hosseini humility heart long One time, when I was very little, I climbed a tree and ate these green, sour apples. My stomach swelled and became hard like a drum, it hurt a lot. Mother said that if I'd just waited for the apples to ripen, I wouldn't have become sick. So now, whenever I really want something, I try to remember what she said about the apples. Khaled Hosseini hurt mother book A sudden happiness catches me unawares. I feel it trickling into me, and my eyes go liquid with gratitude and hope. Khaled Hosseini liquid gratitude eye
