“This is all that matters, darling, that someone sees more in you than you knew there was to see.”

In Lucia’s Eyes

The sentence comes from the Arthur Japin’s best-known book,  In Lucia’s Eyes, and was chosen by participants in the poll of the CPNB foundation, it was announced in the NOS radio program Met het Oog op Morgen. 1500 guests of the Boekenbal were allowed to send in their favorite love phrase as part of the Boekenweek, which has the theme First Love. The top 10 includes a sentence by Anne Frank:

“When I think about it, I still feel his cheek against mine today with that wonderful feeling that makes everything right.”

And from Connie Palmen:

“I want you to live forever, I tell him.”

Winner Arthur Japin beautifully describes how writing about love is like loving itself: “It comes naturally and yet it takes courage, there are no words and yet you have to speak up, it can easily go wrong and yet you have to risk it. “