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The Things I Could Tell You
by J. L. WoodsonThe Things I Could Tell You! by NAACP Image Award Nominee, J. L. Woodson, is the story of Cameron Spears, a Chicago teenager growing up in a house filled with secrets and domestic violence. After changing identities and moving to Memphis, the past comes back to haunt Cameron, forcing him to make a deadly choice that changes his life forever. "A definite page turner! J. L. Woodson is absolutely inspiring. Word for word, he compels the reader to sit up and take notice."--Mary B. Morrison, New York Times Bestselling Author"This bright young author has written a story that hooks you in the prologue, which cleverly describes the intense ending of the story. The story is a pretty accurate portrayal of the effects abuse can have on a family and the extreme results that can occur. We thoroughly enjoyed this story. A Big 'Write On' to J. L. Woodson!" --Darcina Garrett, The Literary Diversions Book Club"I strongly encourage parents/adults to read this book because it shows what we, as women, tolerate sometimes for too long." --R. Hopes
Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother: My Autobiography
by Sue Johnston'There was a lot that we kept from my mother. My dad would say to me as a teenager "Don't tell your mother." We couldn't face the disapproval.'Sue Johnston always seemed to be disappointing her mother. As a girl she never stayed clean and tidy like her cousins. As she grew older, she spent all her piano lesson money on drinks for her mates down the pub, and when she discovered The Cavern she was never at home. The final straw was when Sue left her steady job at a St Helen's factory to try her hand at that unsteadiest of jobs: acting. Yet when Sue was bringing up her own child alone, her mother was always there to help. And playing her much-loved characters Sheila Grant in Waking the Dead and Barbara in The Royle Family- although her mum wouldn't say she was proud as such, she certainly seemed to approve. And in her mother's final months, it was Sue she needed by her side.The relationship with your mother is perhaps the most precious and fraught of any woman's life. When she began writing, Sue set out to record 'all the big things, and all the small things. Everything I wanted to tell my mother but felt I never could'. The result is a warm, poignant and often very funny memoir by one of Britain's favourite actresses.
Things I Didn't Expect (when I was expecting)
by Monica DuxPregnancy is natural, healthy and fun, right? Sure it is, if you're lucky. For others, it's an adventure in physical discomfort, unachievable ideals, kooky classes and meddling experts. When Monica Dux found herself pregnant with her first child, she was dismayed to find she belonged firmly in the second category. For her, pregnancy could only be described as a medium-level catastrophe. So, three years later and about to birth her second child, Monica went on a quest: to figure out what's really going on when we incubate. Monica explores the aspects of baby-making that we all want to talk about, but which are too embarrassing, unsettling or downright confronting. She also looks at the powerful forces that shape women's experiences of being pregnant in the west, the exploitative industries, and the medical and physical realities behind it all. Along the way, she fends off sadistic maternal health nurses, attempts to expand then contract her vagina, and struggles to keep her baby's placenta off her hippy brother's lunch menu.
Things I Have Drawn: At the Zoo
by Tom CurtisKIDS' DRAWINGS HILARIOUSLY BROUGHT TO LIFE.Have you ever wondered what the world would look like if children's drawings were real? Well, wonder no more. Global Instagram sensation THINGS I HAVE DRAWN does just that - and the results are AMAZING.8-year-old Dom and 6-year-old Al are brothers who love to doodle, and then Dad Tom painstakingly transforms their creations into photorealistic scenes. In this book, join the family on a trip to the zoo and laugh your socks off at all of the weird and wonderful creatures, including a gurning goat, a terrifying polar bear and a rather smug looking flamingo. Spectacularly funny and disturbing, this book is packed with previously unseen material and the brilliant before and after images that have made @thingsihavedrawn such a cult hit.
Things I Learned About My Dad
by Heather B. ArmstrongI Said Stop Throwing Peas! Dammit! Whether we've inherited his nose, sense of humor, or entire value system, our dads loom large in who we are and the choices we make. In this collection of true life tales from the trenches of parenting, Heather B. Armstrong, creator of dooce. com, brings together some of the best and brightest voices of the blogosphere to share their fears, foibles, and fantastic moments of fatherhood. Bracingly funny, cheerfully cranky, and always honest, this charming collection of essays redefines the notion of the modern American family, and reads like a love letter to fatherhood. Heather B. Armstrong is the award winning publisher of dooce®. She gained notoriety in 2002 as one of the first people to be fired because of a blog, and in 2005 dooce. com was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 50 Coolest Websites. Armstrong has been on Good Morning America, CNN, NPR, and ABC's World News Tonight as a featured commenter on both blogging and postpartum depression, as well as profiled in the New York Times Sunday Style section and the Washington Post Weekend Magazine. She was published in Real Simple's Family edition in August, 2007. Armstrong lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, daughter, and dog.
Things I Learned About My Dad in Therapy Essays
by Heather B ArmstrongI Said Stop Throwing Peas! Dammit! Whether we've inherited his nose, sense of humor, or entire value system, our dads loom large in who we are and the choices we make. In this collection of true life tales from the trenches of parenting, Heather B. Armstrong, creator of dooce.com, brings together some of the best and brightest voices of the blogosphere to share their fears, foibles, and fantastic moments of fatherhood. Bracingly funny, cheerfully cranky, and always honest, this charming collection of essays redefines the notion of the "modern American family," and reads like a love letter to fatherhood. Heather B. Armstrong is the award winning publisher of dooce®. She gained notoriety in 2002 as one of the first people to be fired because of a blog, and in 2005 dooce.com was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 50 Coolest Websites. Armstrong has been on Good Morning America, CNN, NPR, and ABC's World News Tonight as a featured commenter on both blogging and postpartum depression, as well as profiled in the New York Times Sunday Style section and the Washington Post Weekend Magazine. She was published in Real Simple's Family edition in August, 2007. Armstrong lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, daughter, and dog.
Things I Should Have Known: A Novel
by Claire Lazebnik<p>An unforgettable story about autism, sisterhood, and first love that’s perfect for fans of Jenny Han, Sophie Kinsella, and Sarah Dessen. <p>Meet Chloe Mitchell, a popular Los Angeles girl who’s decided that her older sister, Ivy, who’s on the autism spectrum, could use a boyfriend. Chloe already has someone in mind: Ethan Fields, a sweet, movie-obsessed boy from Ivy’s special needs class. <p>Chloe would like to ignore Ethan’s brother, David, but she can’t—Ivy and Ethan aren’t comfortable going out on their own so Chloe and David have to tag along. Soon Chloe, Ivy, David, and Ethan form a quirky and wholly lovable circle. And as the group bonds over frozen yogurt dates and movie nights, Chloe is forced to confront her own romantic choices—and the realization that it’s okay to be a different kind of normal.</p>
The Things I Want Most: The Extraordinary Story Of A Boy's Journey To A Family Of His Own
by Richard F. MiniterThe remarkable story of a couple who risked everything to open their home--and their hearts--to answer an abandoned child's wish. It was a small note buried in the file of a deeply troubled eleven-year-old boy--a plea for a normal life Rich and Sue Miniter couldn't ignore: The Things I Want MOST: A family A fishing pole A familyThe Miniters heard in that simple note the voice of a frightened child who wanted what all children want and need: someone to love who would love them in return. So they brought Mike home to the cozy country inn they'd restored and managed in rural upstate New York. There, over the next year, they would try to make Mike's dream come true. But first they would have to work through the fear, anger, and distrust that accompanied this boy who had lived his whole life with the label "severely emotionally disturbed. " For the biggest obstacle to Mike's happiness was Mike himself, who gave the Miniters every reason to give up but one--the power of love. When Richard and Sue Miniter decided to open their home--and their hearts--to a foster child, they couldn't imagine the frustrations and joys, the breakthroughs and setbacks, not to mention the emotional toll, that awaited them. Here is the remarkable true story of how their lives changed forever with their decision to answer an abandoned child's wish for THE THINGS I WANT MOST. -->
Things I Want My Daughters to Know: A Novel
by Elizabeth NobleHow do you cope in a world without your mother?When Barbara realizes time is running out, she writes letters to her four daughters, aware that they'll be facing the trials and triumphs of life without her at their side. But how can she leave them when they still have so much growing up to do?Take Lisa, in her midthirties but incapable of making a commitment; or Jennifer, trapped in a stale marriage and buttoned up so tight she could burst. Twentysomething Amanda, the traveler, has always distanced herself from the rest of the family; and then there's Hannah, a teenage girl on the verge of womanhood about to be parted from the mother she adores. But by drawing on the wisdom in Barbara's letters, the girls might just find a way to cope with their loss. And in coming to terms with their bereavement, can they also set themselves free to enjoy their lives with all the passion and love each deserves?This heartfelt novel by bestselling author Elizabeth Noble celebrates family, friends . . . and the glorious, endless possibilities of life.
Things I Wish I Told My Mother: The Perfect Mother-Daughter Book Club Read
by James Patterson Susan Patterson Susan DiLalloAn artist and her perfectionist mother unpack a lifetime of secrets while on vacation in Paris in this moving novel—perfect for fans of One Italian Summer. A mother and daughter on vacation in Paris unpack a lifetime of secrets and hopes—with a giant Pattersonian twist at the end!Every daughter has her own distinctive voice, her inimitable style, and her secrets. Laurie is an artist, a collector of experiences. She travels the world with a worn beige duffel bag.Every mother has her own distinctive voice, her inimitable style, and her secrets. &“Dr. Liz,&” Laurie&’s mother, is an elegant perfectionist who travels the world with a matched set of suitcases. When Laurie surprises her mother with a dream vacation, it brings an unexpected sparkle to her eyes. So begins Things I Wish I Told My Mother. You will wish this novel never ends.
Things I Wish I'd Known: a heart-warming read of first love and second chances
by Linda GreenEver look at your life and find yourself wondering: how did this happen?When Claire discovers the list she wrote as a teenager entitled '20 Years From Now', she realises how far removed her life is from the one she'd imagined. Divorced. Stuck in a dead-end job. Dating a man who is desperate to settle down to a future she doesn't want . . . it's time for Claire to put her life back on track, before it's too late.From the bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed comes a poignant novel about what could have been . . . WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THINGS I WISH I'D KNOWN'Heart-warming and real' *****'Took me back to my own teenage years and all that raw emotion and lure of first love' *****'Absorbing, thought-provoking must-read!' *****Also available from Linda Green:After I've GoneAnd Then It HappenedWhile My Eyes Were ClosedI Did a Bad ThingTen Reasons Not to Fall in LoveThe Last Thing She Told Me***
Things I Wish I'd Known: a heart-warming read of first love and second chances
by Linda GreenEver look at your life and find yourself wondering: how did this happen?When Claire discovers the list she wrote as a teenager entitled '20 Years From Now', she realises how far removed her life is from the one she'd imagined. Divorced. Stuck in a dead-end job. Dating a man who is desperate to settle down to a future she doesn't want . . . it's time for Claire to put her life back on track, before it's too late.From the bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed comes a poignant novel about what could have been . . . WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THINGS I WISH I'D KNOWN'Heart-warming and real' *****'Took me back to my own teenage years and all that raw emotion and lure of first love' *****'Absorbing, thought-provoking must-read!' *****Also available from Linda Green:After I've GoneAnd Then It HappenedWhile My Eyes Were ClosedI Did a Bad ThingTen Reasons Not to Fall in LoveThe Last Thing She Told Me***
Things I Wish I’d Known: My hacks for a tidy home, happy kids and a calmer you
by Emily Norris'Queen of the mothering hack. Emily Norris delivers ingenious ideas to make life a little bit easier!’ – Giovanna Fletcher, bestselling author and podcaster'Genius hacks to save time and bring a little more joy' – Anna Mathur, Psychotherapist and bestselling author'Packed with tips and ideas that make mum life *just* a little easier!' – Harriet Shearsmith, @tobyandrooI became obsessed with mum hacks when a friend showed me a game-changing tip during my baby days - that baby vests can be pulled down (not up) in the event of an explosive poo. I couldn't believe I had been a mum for so long and not known! Things I Wish I'd Known will bring you hundreds of quick and clever solutions, just like this, all to make the parenting juggle easier.You'll find my favourite hacks and habits, as well as dozens of new ones, all designed to give your day-to-day a lift. From cleaning hacks that leave your home sparkling in no time, laundry tricks that save you money, and simple tweaks to night-time routines which transform everyone's sleep, I'll show you how to hack every aspect of home-life so you feel less stress and more joy!Emily x
Things I Wish I'd Known Before My Child Became a Teenager
by Gary D ChapmanHelp your child navigate the teenage years and become a mature adult.The transition from childhood to adulthood is hard for everyone. Physical changes—on the inside as well as the outside—make for a lot of ups and downs. The teenage years are turbulent, no question about it. But if you&’re a parent or caregiver, don&’t despair. There&’s a way through!Gary Chapman, beloved author of The 5 Love Languages®, has raised two kids of his own, so he knows what it&’s like to ride the roller coaster of parenting teens. Now he combines the hard-earned wisdom of a parent with the expertise of a counselor to help you know what to look out for. You&’ll learn:That teens are still developing the ability to think logicallyThat teens need to learn how to apologize and forgiveAnd most importantly, that a parent&’s example is more important that their wordsThough the years ahead will be demanding, you don&’t have to feel helpless. Let Gary Chapman point the way you as you guide your child through this challenging yet rewarding new stage of life.
Things I Wish I'd Known Before My Child Became a Teenager
by Gary D ChapmanHelp your child navigate the teenage years and become a mature adult.The transition from childhood to adulthood is hard for everyone. Physical changes—on the inside as well as the outside—make for a lot of ups and downs. The teenage years are turbulent, no question about it. But if you&’re a parent or caregiver, don&’t despair. There&’s a way through!Gary Chapman, beloved author of The 5 Love Languages®, has raised two kids of his own, so he knows what it&’s like to ride the roller coaster of parenting teens. Now he combines the hard-earned wisdom of a parent with the expertise of a counselor to help you know what to look out for. You&’ll learn:That teens are still developing the ability to think logicallyThat teens need to learn how to apologize and forgiveAnd most importantly, that a parent&’s example is more important that their wordsThough the years ahead will be demanding, you don&’t have to feel helpless. Let Gary Chapman point the way you as you guide your child through this challenging yet rewarding new stage of life.
Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Became Parents
by Gary D. Chapman Shannon WardenDr. Gary Chapman has helped millions prepare for marriage.Now he helps you prepare for kids.Things I Wish I&’d Known Before We Became Parents has one goal: prepare you to raise young children. Dr. Gary Chapman—longtime relationship expert and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The 5 Love Languages—teams up with Dr. Shannon Warden—professor of counseling, wife, and mother of three—to give young parents a book that is practical, informed, and enjoyable. Together they share what they wished they had known before having kids. For example: children affect your time, your money, and your marriage—and that's just the beginning. With warmth and humor they offer practical advice on everything from potty training to scheduling, apologizing to your child, and keeping your marriage strong… all the while celebrating the great joy that children bring.From the Preface: "Our desire is to share our own experiences, as well as what we have learned through the years, as we have counseled hundreds of parents. We encourage you to read this book before the baby comes, and then refer to its chapters again as you experience the joys and challenges of rearing children." — Dr. Gary Chapman
Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Became Parents
by Gary D. Chapman Shannon WardenDr. Gary Chapman has helped millions prepare for marriage.Now he helps you prepare for kids.Things I Wish I&’d Known Before We Became Parents has one goal: prepare you to raise young children. Dr. Gary Chapman—longtime relationship expert and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The 5 Love Languages—teams up with Dr. Shannon Warden—professor of counseling, wife, and mother of three—to give young parents a book that is practical, informed, and enjoyable. Together they share what they wished they had known before having kids. For example: children affect your time, your money, and your marriage—and that's just the beginning. With warmth and humor they offer practical advice on everything from potty training to scheduling, apologizing to your child, and keeping your marriage strong… all the while celebrating the great joy that children bring.From the Preface: "Our desire is to share our own experiences, as well as what we have learned through the years, as we have counseled hundreds of parents. We encourage you to read this book before the baby comes, and then refer to its chapters again as you experience the joys and challenges of rearing children." — Dr. Gary Chapman
Things I'd Tell My Child
by Katie Piper Diane PiperWhether you're only just becoming a mum for the first time or you have children who are growing up faster than you could have ever imagined, motherhood can feel like the most joyful and yet the most daunting of times. But you're not alone. From the moment I knew my first baby was a girl I started to plan, hope and dream. I couldn't wait to experience that special bond, but I also wondered how I'd feel about being a working mum, how I'd hold on to the person I am. I also knew that the world has changed so much since I was growing up. What advice, values and role models would help give my daughter the confidence and strength to cope with all that might come her way - and to give her an open mind and warm heart? And how would I guide her through the issues girls face today? This is my journey in motherhood: my experiences, hopes and fears - with my mum's stories of raising me, a parenting expert's advice and empowering exercises - to guide you from those first wobbly moments to being a happy, healthy mum and raising feisty, independent children who aren't afraid to be themselves - and to go for the life they want. Katie PiperFrom Mother to Daughter is about motherhood, about what you learn as a mother and the things you would tell your daughter and most of all it's Katie and Diane' Piper's celebration of the incredible power of mother-daughter relationships.
Things I'm Seeing Without You
by Peter BognanniFans of Thirteen Reasons Why and All the Bright Places will laugh and cry as they read this heartbreaking and life-affirming novel about love after the most profound loss.Seventeen-year-old Tess Fowler has just dropped out of high school. She can barely function after learning of Jonah’s death. Jonah, the boy she’d traded banter with over texts and heartfelt e-mails. Jonah, the first boy she'd told she loved and the first boy to say it back. Jonah, the boy whose suicide she never saw coming. Tess continues to write to Jonah, as a way of processing her grief and confusion. But for now she finds solace in perhaps the unlikeliest of ways: by helping her father with his new alternative funeral business, where his biggest client is . . . a prized racehorse?As Tess’s involvement in her father’s business grows, both find comfort in the clients they serve and in each other. But love, loss, and life are so much more complicated than Tess ever thought. Especially after she receives a message that turns her life upside down.Funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, and wondrous, in the vein of Six Feet Under and I’ll Give You the Sun, Things I'm Seeing Without You is a beautiful examination of what it means to love someone, to lose someone, and to love again.
Things Invisible to See: A Novel
by Nancy WillardThe first novel by Newbery Award–winning author Nancy Willard: A stunning story of magic and miracles, and a testament to the enduring power of faith and love Ben and Willie Harkissian are twin brothers (think Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau) growing up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the eve of World War II. A baseball launched into the October sky sets in motion a series of events that transforms many lives. Ben leaves for the front and faces death—figuratively as well as literally. Left behind is Clare Bishop, who has been paralyzed from the waist down. But in exchange she receives some very special gifts. She can see the future, be at one with animals, and chat with Death. Willie Harkissian remains in Michigan as well, though his relationship with his brother will never be the same.A love story interrupted by war, this is also a novel about discovering the ordinary in the extraordinary and finding the miraculous in everyday life.
Things I've Said to My Children
by Nathan RippergerAn illustrated gift book that brings to life the universal parenting experience of saying strange and hilarious things to one's kids. As the father of five boys (all under age 10), graphic designer Nathan Ripperger has found himself saying some rather funny, absurd, and downright bizarre things to his children, from "Stop riding that penguin, we're leaving" to "I am NOT talking to you until you are wearing underwear." He created poster-like images for each and posted them online. The response from other parents was overwhelming. With Things I've Said to My Children, Ripperger has assembled around 80 of the funniest, weirdest, and most amusing sayings and paired them with full-color, designed images that bring these outrageously hysterical quotes to life. Covering the essential parenting topics like food, animals, don'ts, and of course, bodily functions, Things I've Said to My Children is a light-hearted illustrated reminder of the shared absurdity of parenthood. Especially for those parents who've ever found themselves uttering some variation of the line, "Please don't eat the goldfish crackers you've put in your butt."
Things My Mother Told Me
by Tanya Atapattu'It was just sex, Anj, it didn't mean anything.'When Anjali finds out that Jack, her boyfriend of ten years, has been cheating on her, it throws her world into chaos. Heartbroken, she fills the emptiness by embarking on a series of flings that her traditional Sri Lankan mother would (mostly) disapprove of.Yet she can no longer avoid her mother or Shanthi, her distant older sister. And so begins her real journey, one that will make Anjali confront a past she's been desperate to forget. But maybe the past can also be the bridge to her future . . .Set in Bristol and Sri Lanka, Things My Mother Told Me is a warm, moving and funny story about love, loss, family, cultural divides and the voices we hear in our heads. It will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.
Things My Mother Told Me
by Tanya AtapattuI've read lots of stories about Asian mothers, seen various send-ups of them on TV programmes and watched all the standard Asian coming-of-age films. I've seen lots of send-ups about mothers in general, Asian or not. I don't want to make my mum out to be just another caricature. But sometimes she can make it really difficult.When Anjali finds out that Jack, her boyfriend of ten years, has been cheating on her, it throws her world into chaos. Heartbroken, she fills the emptiness by embarking on a series of flings that her traditional Sri Lankan mother would (mostly) disapprove of.Yet she can no longer avoid her mother or Shanthi, her distant older sister. And so begins her real journey, one that will make Anjali confront a past she's been desperate to forget. But maybe the past can also be the bridge to her future . . .Travelling between England and Sri Lanka, Things My Mother Told Me is a warm, moving and funny story about love, loss, family, cultural divides and the voices we hear in our heads. It will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.
Things My Son Needs to Know About the World
by Fredrik BackmanFredrik Backman, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and Beartown, delivers a poignant and insightful memoir from the front lines of one of the most daunting experiences any man can experience: fatherhood. <P><P>Things My Son Needs to Know About the World is bestselling author Fredrik Backman’s revealing look at the relationship between fathers and sons. Delving deep into his own experience and speaking directly to his child, Backman reflects on the perspective and tools his son will need to make his way in the world. <P><P>As he conveys his profound awe at facing all the “firsts” that fill him with wonder and catch him completely unprepared, Backman doesn’t shy away from divulging his own false steps and fatherly flaws. Along the way, he tackles issues both great and small, from masculinity and mid-life crises to practical jokes and poop. <P><P>In between the sleep-deprived lows and wonderful highs, Backman takes a step back to share the sweet, true story of falling in love with a woman who is his complete opposite, and learning to live a life that revolves around the people he cares about unconditionally. <P><P>Alternating between humorous side notes and longer essays offering his son guidance about growing up, Backman contemplates the big and small moments that form their shared life, from soccer matches and Ikea trips to first homes and young love. <P><P>Things My Son Needs to Know About the World is Backman as you’ve never seen him before—intimate, vulnerable, and brave. <P><P>Above all, it is a tribute to the love between a parent and a child. For, as Backman eloquently reminds us, “You can be whatever you want to be, but that’s nowhere near as important as knowing that you can be exactly who you are.”
Things My Son Needs to Know about the World: Las Cosas Que Mi Hijo Necesita Saber Acerca Del Mundo
by Fredrik BackmanThe #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove shares an irresistible and moving collection of heartfelt, humorous essays about fatherhood, providing his newborn son with the perspective and tools he&’ll need to make his way in the world. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World collects the personal dispatches from the front lines of one of the most daunting experiences any man can experience: fatherhood. As he conveys his profound awe at experiencing all the &“firsts&” that fill him with wonder and catch him completely unprepared, Fredrik Backman doesn&’t shy away from revealing his own false steps and fatherly flaws, tackling issues both great and small, from masculinity and mid-life crises to practical jokes and poop. In between the sleep-deprived lows and wonderful highs, Backman takes a step back to share the true story of falling in love with a woman who is his complete opposite, and learning to live a life that revolves around the people you care about unconditionally. Alternating between humorous side notes and longer essays offering his son advice as he grows up and ventures out into the world, Backman relays the big and small lessons in life, including: -How to find the team you belong to -Why airports explain everything about religion and war -The reason starting a band is crucial to cultivating and keeping friendships -How to beat Monkey Island 3 -Why, sometimes, a dad might hold onto his son&’s hand just a little too tight This is an irresistible and insightful collection, perfect for new parents and fans of Backman&’s &“unparalleled understanding of human nature&” (Shelf Awareness). As he eloquently reminds us, &“You can be whatever you want to be, but that&’s nowhere near as important as knowing that you can be exactly who you are.&”