You know the old adage: Plant an expectation, reap a disappointment.
Elizabeth GilbertRead
You can measure the happiness of a marriage by the number of scars that each partner carries on their tongues, earned from years of biting back angry words.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A strong marriage often involves communication challenges and the restraint to manage one's words.
In this quote, Elizabeth Gilbert suggests that the true measure of a marriage’s happiness lies in the ability to hold back hurtful words during conflicts. The 'scars' represent the struggles and sacrifices both partners make to maintain respect and love, highlighting the importance of communication and restraint in a healthy relationship.
Themes
MarriageHappinessCommunicationRelationshipsRestraint
In practice
Example use cases
During a wedding speech to emphasize the importance of effective communication in marriage.
More from Elizabeth Gilbert
All quotes →Do not apologize for crying. Without this emotion, we are only robots.
Elizabeth GilbertRead
I had always been taught that the pursuit of happiness was my natural (even national) birthright. It is the emotional trademark of my culture to seek happiness. Not just any kind of happiness, either, but profound happiness, even soaring happiness. And what could possibly bring a person more soaring happiness than romantic love.
Elizabeth GilbertRead
When I tried this morning, after an hour or so of unhappy thinking, to dip back into my meditation, I took a new idea with me: compassion. I asked my heart if it could please infuse my soul with a more generous perspective on my mind's workings. Instead of thinking that I was a failure, could I perhaps accept that I am only a human being--and a normal one, at that?
Elizabeth GilbertRead
And when you sense a faint potentiality for happiness after such dark times you must grab onto the ankles of that happiness and not let go until it drags you face-first out of the dirt - this is not selfishness, but obligation. You were given life; it is your duty to find something beautiful within life no matter how slight.
Elizabeth GilbertRead
But never again use another person's body or emotions as a scratching post for your own unfulfilling yearnings.
Elizabeth GilbertRead
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