Thank you for this, Laura. We watched Home Alone 2: Lost in New York last night. This conversation between Kevin and the Pigeon Lady also connects (for me) with the Lewis quote you shared.

Kevin McCallister: Did you have any kids?

Bird Lady: No. Oh, l wanted them. But the man I loved fell out of love with me. That broke my heart. And whenever the chance to be loved came along again, I ran away from it. I stopped trusting people.

Kevin McCallister: No offense, but that seems like sort of a dumb thing to do.

Bird Lady: I was afraid of getting my heart broken again. You see, sometimes you can trust a person, and then, when things are down, they forget about you.

Kevin McCallister: Maybe they're just too busy. Maybe they don't forget about you, but they forget to remember you. l don't think people mean to forget. l think it just happens. My grandfather says if my head wasn't screwed on, I'd leave it on the school bus.

Bird Lady: I'm just afraid if I do trust someone, I'll get my heart broken again.

Kevin McCallister: I understand that. l used to have this really nice pair of rollerblades. l was afraid if l wore them, l'd wreck them. So l kept them in a box. Do you know what happened?

Bird Lady: No.

Kevin McCallister: I outgrew them. I never wore them once outside. l just wore them in my room a couple times.

Bird Lady: A person's heart and a person's feelings are very different than skates.

Kevin McCallister: Well, they're kind of the same thing. lf you aren't going to use your heart, then what's the difference if it gets broken? If you just keep it to yourself, maybe it'll be like my rollerblades. When you do decide to try it, it won't be any good. You should take a chance. Got nothing to lose.

Bird Lady: A bit of truth in there somewhere.

Kevin McCallister: I think so. Your heart might still be broken, but it isn't gone. If it was gone, you wouldn't be this nice.

Bird Lady: Thank you. . . <scene continues>