The first time I read "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd, I was in tenth grade and it was an assigned reading. Since then, I've read it countless times: On beaches far from home, underneath the umbrella on my back deck in the middle of Summer, in the car on a long trip, wrapped up tight in my sheets as snow falls outside my window. It is one of my favorite books. I love the story, the warmth, the strong female characters. It is also incredibly well written, with some of the most beautiful — and relatable — quotes I've come across. Here are 25 times I found Sue Monk Kidd's words most relatable:

1. When you have to remember to let people in and help you:

“If you need something from somebody always give that person a way to hand it to you.”

2. Remembering you're not the center of the universe and the world isn't going to stop because you have:

“It is the peculiar nature of the world to go on spinning no matter what sort of heartbreak is happening.”

3. When you ask your friend to be truthful so she is, and then you wish she had told you a lie instead because the truth kills you on the inside:

“Knowing can be a curse on a person's life. I'd traded in a pack of lies for a pack of truth, and I didn't know which one was heavier. Which one took the most strength to carry around? It was a ridiculous question, though, because once you know the truth, you can't ever go back and pick up your suitcase of lies. Heavier or not, the truth is yours now.”

4. For the times you're stuck listening to an old relative talk about the good ol' days, wondering why you agreed to join in on the family gathering:

“Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here.”

5. When you're trying to tell if someone is lying or telling the truth:

“I have noticed that if you look carefully at people's eyes the first five seconds they look at you, the truth of their feelings will shine through for just an instant before it flickers away.”

6. Having your pain validated:

“After you get stung, you can't get unstung...”

7. Going to your grandparents house:

“The world will give you that once in awhile, a brief timeout; the boxing bell rings and you go to your corner, where somebody dabs mercy on your beat-up life.”

8. Trying to explain yourself to your parents after getting a bad grade on a test:

“There is nothing perfect...only life.”

9. When your mom told you to come in at dusk during childhood summers:

“Sunset is the saddest light there is.”

10. Trying to convince your parents to let you do something with your friends that they would normally never let you do:

“When it's time to die, go ahead and die, and when it's time to live, live. Don't sort-of-maybe live, but live like you're going all out, like you're not afraid.”

11. Hearing that one throwback tune on the radio and memories come flooding back:

“There's nothing like a song about lost love to remind you how everything precious can slip from the hinges where you've hung it so careful.”

12. Trying to decide what restaurant to order take-out from after your mom says you can't have both Chinese and pizza:

“The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters.”

13. Realizing that your pain makes you stronger and that you should be proud of how far you've come because you're still thriving in spite of everything:

“In a weird way I must have loved my little collection of hurts and wounds. They provided me with some real nice sympathy, with the feeling I was exceptional...What a special case I was.”

14. When you ask your crush who they like and it's not you:

“You think you want to know something, and then once you do, all you can think about is erasing it from your mind.”

15. Hitting all the red lights on your way to pick up your pizza:

“Nothing is fair in this world. You might as well get that straight right now.”

16. When someone asks you about your insecurity, and you open up, only to be absolutely emotionally destroyed because you never truly admitted it to yourself:

“It was the first time I'd ever said the words to another person, and the sound of them broke open my heart.”

17. When you ask your friend to stop and get you a happy meal, even though you're an adult:

“You have to know when to prod and when to be quiet, when to let things take their course.”

18. Explaining yourself to your musical friend after you sing in the car:

“Actually, you can be bad at something...but if you love doing it, that will be enough.”

19. Remembering there's no place like home:

“I know you've run away — everybody gets the urge to do that some time — but sooner or later you'll want to go home.”

20. Being caught by surprise in a summer storm:

“Now and then sprays of rain flew over and misted our faces. Every time I refused to wipe away the wetness. It made the world seem so alive to me. I couldn't help but envy the way a good storm got everyone's attention.”

21. Explaining to family that you need to blaze your own path:

“My mother's life was way too heavy for me.”

22. Remembering what is really important:

“And I was struck all at once how life was out there going through its regular courses, and I was suspended, waiting, caught in a terrible crevice between living my life and not living it.”

23. When someone says, "Wow, you've really changed!":

“People can start out one way, and by the time life gets through with them they end up completely different.”

24. Typing a long, heartfelt text message and then deleting it all because you are incredibly passive:

“Have you ever written a letter you knew you could never mail but you needed to write it anyway?”

25. When you need a little reminder that you being you is more than enough, no matter what anyone says:

“You are my everlasting home. Don't you ever be afraid. I am enough. We are enough.”