quoth mary alice

'there is a widely-read book that tells us everyone is a sinner. of course, not everyone feels guilt over the bad things they do. in contrast, there are those who assume more than their share of the blame. there are others who sooth their consciences with small acts of kindness, or by telling themselves that their sins were justified. finally, there are the ones who simply vow to do better next time, and pray for forgiveness. sometimes, their prayers are answered.'

'yes, each new day in suburbia brings with it a new set of lies. the worst are the ones we tell ourselves before we fall asleep. we whisper them in the dark, telling ourselves we're happy, or that he's happy. that we can change, or that he will change his mind. we persuade ourselves we can live with our sins, or that we can live without him. yes, each night before we fall asleep we lie to ourselves, in a desperate, desperate hope that come morning, it will all be true.'

'everyone enjoys a game of make-believe now and then. of course, the ways in which we play can vary greatly. sometimes we tell ourselves work won't interfere with our family life. sometimes we imagine certain relationships to be more meaningful than they really are. occasionally we put on a show, as if to convince ourselves our secrets aren't really all that terrible. yes, the game of make-believe is a simple one. you start by lying to yourself, and if you can get others to believe those lies, you win.'