It's going to be all right," I say, which rings hollow…

““It's going to be all right," I say, which rings hollow. "You don't really believe that, do you?" "Maybe not. But I try to. Because the reaping's going to happen no matter what I believe. Sure a site sun will rise tomorrow." Lenore Dove frowns. "Well, there's no proof that will happen. You can't count on things happening tomorrow just because they happened in the past. That's faulty logic." "Is it?" I say. Because it's kind of how people plan out their lives." "And that's part of our trouble. Thinking things are inevitable. Not believing change is possible." "I guess. But I can't really imagine the sun not rising tomorrow." A crease forms between her eyebrows as she puzzles out a response. "Can you imagine it rising on a world without a reaping?" "Not on my birthday. I've never had one that came without a reaping." I try to distract her with a kiss, but she'd determined to make me see. "No, listen," she says earnestly. "Think about it. You're saying, 'Today is my birthday, and there's a reaping. Last year on my birthday, there was also a reaping. So every year, there will be a reaping on my birthday.' But you have no way of knowing that. I mean, the reaping didn't even exist until fifty years ago. Give me one good reason why it should keep happening just because it's your birthday.””

— Suzanne Collins