“If negative emotions have gain access into your heart, it is because you have given it attention. If memories of pain and hurt dominates your heart, it is because you gave them attention. How can a memory hurt you when it has only happened? It can only hurt you when you give it attention.”

Patience Johnson is a British-American novelist and essayist. She blends sharp social observation with lyrical prose, exploring themes of identity, race, and belonging in works like *The Dead and the Dark* and *The Book of Form and Emptiness*. Her writing often examines the intersections of history and personal narrative with quiet intensity.