Life never presents us with anything which may not be looked upon as a fresh starting point, no less than as a termination.
Andre GideRead
It is the special quality of love not to be able to remain stationary, to be obliged to increase under pain of diminishing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Love inherently requires growth and cannot stagnate; it must continuously evolve or it risks fading away.
In this quote, AndrΓ© Gide emphasizes the dynamic nature of love, suggesting that it cannot remain static. Love is an ever-growing entity that demands nurturing and progression; if it does not expand, it will inevitably decline. This perspective frames love as an active force that requires engagement and effort to thrive, highlighting the necessity of continuous emotional investment in relationships.
Themes
LoveGrowthRelationshipsDynamicsEmotional Investment
In practice
Example use cases
In a wedding toast, you might say this quote to highlight the evolving nature of love between partners.
More from Andre Gide
All quotes βDo not do what someone else could do as well as you. Do not say, do not write what someone else could say, could write as well as you. Care for nothing in yourself but what you feel exists nowhere else. And, out of yourself create, impatiently or patiently, the most irreplaceable of beings.
Andre GideRead
Old hands soil, it seems, whatever they caress, but they too have their beauty when they are joined in prayer. Young hands were made for caresses and the sheathing of love. It is a pity to make them join too soon.
Andre GideRead
Through fear of resembling one another, through horror of having to submit, through uncertainty as well, through skepticism and complexity, there is a multitude of individual little beliefs for the triumph of strange little individuals.
Andre GideRead
It is with noble sentiments that bad literature gets written.
Andre GideRead
I intend to bring you strength, joy, courage, perspicacity, defiance.
Andre GideRead
Similar quotes
His [Elijah] heart was beginning to give signs of alarm; he was enjoying being at this woman's side. Love could be a more frightening experience than standing before Ahab's soldier with an arrow aimed at his heart; if the arrow had struck him, he would be dead -and the rest was up to God. But if love struck him, he alone would have to take responsibility for the consequences.
Paulo CoelhoRead
What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?
Anthony BourdainRead
When you truly love yourself, you don't have enemies. They may hate you but you're too big to hate them back.
Tony GaskinsRead
Love is nothing if it is not spontaneous. It cannot be a conclusion of reasoning.
Meher BabaRead
Lovers embrace that which is between them rather than each other.
Khalil GibranRead
Yet nothing can to nothing fall, Nor any place be empty quite; Therefore I think my breast hath all Those pieces still, though they be not unite; And now, as broken glasses show A hundred lesser faces, so My rags of heart can like, wish, and adore, But after one such love, can love no more.
John DonneRead