It is not necessary to teach others, to cure them or to improve them; it is only necessary to live among them, sharing the human condition and being present to them in love.
Charles De FoucauldRead
To love anyone is to hope in him for always. From the moment at which we begin to judge anyone, to limit our confidence in him, from the moment at which we identify him with what we know of him and so reduce him to that, we cease to love him and he ceases to be able to be better.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True love involves unconditional faith and hope in another person’s potential.
This quote by Charles De Foucauld emphasizes the essential nature of love as an act of faith in another person's potential to grow and improve. When we judge and limit our confidence in someone based on our perceptions and knowledge of them, we not only hinder their ability to change but also diminish the essence of our love for them. Love thrives when we maintain hope and belief in each other's capacity for growth.
Themes
LoveHopeConfidenceGrowthJudgment
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a discussion about the nature of true love in relationships.
More from Charles De Foucauld
All quotes →The moment I realized God existed, I knew that I could not do othewise than to live for Him Alone...Faith strips the mask from the world and renders meaningless such words as anxiety, danger and fear, so the believer goes through life calmly and peacefully, with profound joy--like a child, hand and hand with his mother.
Charles De FoucauldRead
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