When the sage points at the moon, all that the idiot sees is the finger.
Anthony De MelloRead
Obedience keeps the rules. Love knows when to break them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that while obedience is about adhering to rules, love sometimes requires breaking those rules for a deeper connection.
Anthony De Mello's quote highlights the tension between societal norms and the nuances of genuine relationships. Obedience represents compliance and adherence to established rules or conventions, while love embodies a profound understanding and sometimes necessitates bending or breaking those very rules to foster a more authentic and compassionate connection between individuals. It emphasizes that true love can challenge rigid structures to prioritize emotional and relational truths.
Themes
ObedienceLoveRulesRelationshipsConnection
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the balance between rules and personal freedom in relationships.
More from Anthony De Mello
All quotes βPerfect love casts out fear. Where there is love there are no demands, no expectations, no dependency. I do not demand that you make me happy; my happiness does not lie in you. If you were to leave me, I will not feel sorry for myself; I enjoy your company immensely, but I do not cling.
Anthony De MelloRead
The master never seemed to have his fill of gazing at his firstborn child. "What do you want him to be when he grows up?" someone asked. "Outrageously happy," said the master.
Anthony De MelloRead
The genius of a composer is found in the notes of his music; but analyzing the notes will not reveal his genius. The poet's greatness is contained in his words; yet the study of his words will not disclose his inspiration. God reveals himself in creation; but scrutinize creation as minutely as you wish, you will not find God, any more than you will find the soul through careful examination of your body.
Anthony De MelloRead
What is a loving heart? A loving heart is sensitive to the whole of life, to all persons; a loving heart doesn't harden itself to any persons or things.
Anthony De MelloRead
Problems only exist in the human mind.
Anthony De MelloRead
Similar quotes
Love properly understood is Godβthe font of all creation and the ultimate goal of all desires; God properly understood is love.
Miroslav VolfRead
I have loved and been in love. There's a big difference.
Katharine HepburnRead
I purified my lips with sacred fire that I might speak of love, but when I opened my mouth to speak, I found myself mute.
Khalil GibranRead
there was a time before you but I can't remember it now a time before your beauty and I were formally introduced I'm sure I lived without you but I don't remember how can't imagine living without these feelings you've produced just one glance and my life was redrawn just one word and my vocabulary changed I asked the time and you said 'what's the hurry?' you asked my name and I almost forgot
David LevithanRead
Just like every person who works for Dortmund is a fan of the club, it was the same at Mainz. When I was a player there, we had 800 supporters on rainy Saturday afternoons, and if we died, no one would notice or come to our funeral. But we loved the club, and we have this same feeling at Dortmund.
Jurgen KloppRead
In real life, love has to be possible. Even if it is not returned right away, love can only survive when the hope exists that you will be able to win over the person you desire.
Paulo CoelhoRead