Tess quotes from Touched by an Angel

Monica

You know, Tess, sometimes you can be really pushy.

Tess

That's what friends are for.

Monica

Tess, what am I supposed to be doing with Cassie? Am I supposed to get her to go back to the Feldmans? Or am I supposed to help her keep her baby?

Tess

You're supposed to help her become a good mother.

Monica

Tess, isn't it amazing the different ways people think of to protect their feet.

Tess

That's nothing. Look what they start thinking of when they start trying to protect their hearts.

Monica

Charles? Poor dear. I can't even see his heart from here.

Tess

Then you just gotta get closer.

Tess

[Cringing] I can't help but wonder which one of those kids I'm gonna see later in traction.

Monica

They're expressing themselves, Tess.

Tess

Whatever happened to the gavotte? And the minuet, you remember the minuet? 1-2-3, 1-2-3, bow and curtsey. Kept the hormones in a state of perpetual anticipation. That's my kind of thing. (Looks at Charles' dancing) 'Course, in his case, maybe he oughta do a little less anticipating and a little more expressing.

Tess

Nothing's really wrong with the man's heart. Except he's terrified of letting it out again.

Monica

Again?

Tess

Well, what if you ran away from home and nobody noticed?

Monica

What if you gave away your heart and nobody cared?

Monica

She's late.

Tess

There's no such thing as late. Destiny picks its own time.

Monica

What do I do when it happens, Tess?

Tess

Destiny doesn't happen. It arrives. And when it does, you either batten down the hatches and wait 'til it blows over or you swing open the gates and invite it in to supper.

Monica

I wish it had a way of showing itself so she'd know what she's dealing with.

Tess

[Slightly exasperated] Then it wouldn't be destiny.

Monica

And I wouldn't have a job?

Tess

You go, girl! Now you're getting it. [A wind blows] Hark.

Monica

Hark?

Tess

[Shrugs] I miss the old days.

Tess

You said you wanted to help out.

Yes, but it's a little like inviting an accountant to dinner and then asking him to balance your checkbook.

Tess

Brace yourself, Jack, 'cause I don't have a lot of time to pussyfoot around with you. I'm an angel sent by God. Now you can accept that or not but what you will accept when I'm finished is the concept of fidelity: lock, stock and barrel. Do I make myself clear? [Silence] I'll take that as a yes.

Pretty soon, we stopped finding things to talk about. And after a while, we just drifted apart.

Tess

When two people are on a journey, there will be miles when they fall silent. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't be traveling together.

The last time I sat on this swing, I was scared to death. Susanna was inside, asleep and I spent half the night just terrified that I've given my life over to another person. One person. Forever. Someone I loved so much that I just couldn't imagine her not being in my life. Maybe that's what scared me the most. I think that's finally why I had an affair. The more you invest in one person, the more you have to lose if you lose her.

Tess

So you just decided to spread your wonderful self all around, huh? Gave you an easy way out the back door, doesn't it?

I actually read about this at the dentist's office. It's called the male fear of death syndrome.

Tess

[Sarcastically] Oh, that's what you got?

That's what it feels like.

Tess

Well, get over it.

Look, I'm not proud of all this. But that journey that you're talking about? I just can't seem to find my way back to the road.

Tess

You stand up, honey. And you walk. And if you ever feel like straying again, remember this moment. You can always come back to this moment.

Monica

What difference does a name make? A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, right?

Tess

Yeah, but the problem is most people think more about the name than the rose.

Monica

You know, I've been here two weeks and all I've had to do is to order the perfect chairs, the perfect flowers, the perfect napkins...

Tess

Patience is a virtue. Virtue is a grace. Put them all together and they make a happy face.

Monica

Tess, what am I doing here? The Founders Banquet is in two days. Once it's over, then what?

Tess

I think that's what everybody in this house is asking themselves. The people in this place have nothing to look forward to except the next big party or the next disappointment. Maybe something less than their idea of perfect is exactly what this house needs.

Tess

People have been painting pictures and writing songs and making movies about Heaven and all ever since they could breathe. [Chuckles] They never come close.

Monica

Now, Serena's music. That comes pretty close to the real thing.

Tess

Yeah, she and Johann Sebastian have a lot in common. You give them a little glimpse of Heaven and they're off and singing. But some people, you can put Heaven right smack in front of 'em and they still can't see anything to sing about.

Tess

There was Balthasar, there was Melchior and there was Gaspar. And the shepherds were just cowering right about here.

[Annoyed] Is this from your imagination or from memory?

Tess

Honey, you'd be surprised what I can remember.

Monica

It's hard sometimes, Tess. Knowing the what but not always knowing the why. Knowing more than human beings and less than God.

Tess

When life keeps you in the dark, baby, that's when you start looking at the stars.

Monica

So am I going to work in a shelter or counsel homeless people?

Tess

None of the above.

Monica

Then how am I supposed to help?

Tess

Well, baby, the only way to share this man's pain is to share his pain.

Monica

He's going to be fine. He's got a job, he's got a good head on his shoulders, he's got a plan to move on. I think he's going to make it.

Tess

Is that Monica the angel saying that? Or is that Monica I'm-cold-I'm-hungry-give-me-back-my-coat saying that?

Monica

What did I do wrong?

Tess

You took the easy way out. Just like everybody takes the easy way out. You found a reason not to get involved... This man, Pete, he's a fighter. But he's been hit too many times. One blow after another, too hard and too fast and the next blow could put him down and keep him down. And pride is not gonna help that. Not his and not yours.