So dear I love him, that with him, all deaths I could endure, without him, live no life.
Interpretation
Love has the power to make life meaningful and tolerable, even in the face of hardship.
This quote expresses the profound depth of love that the speaker has for the beloved. It suggests that the speaker values their love so highly that they would rather endure all challenges and sufferings alongside their beloved than live a life devoid of that love, emphasizing the essential role of love in finding purpose and resilience in life.
In practice
In a wedding speech, one might reference this quote to highlight the importance of love in a marriage.
They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late their happy seat, Waved over by that flaming brand, the gate With dreadful faces thronged and fiery arms: Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon; The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and Providence their guide; They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.
The stars, that nature hung in heaven, and filled their lamps with everlasting oil, give due light to the misled and lonely traveller.
Ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old, When all our fathers worshipp'd stocks and stones.
Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss
The end of all learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love and imitate Him.
Apt words have power to suage the tumors of a troubled mind.
And she thought what a clean, simple life she would have led if it weren't for love.
Let tenderness pour from your eyes, the way sun gazes warmly on earth.
There can be no excess to love, none to knowledge, none to beauty.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist.
I will not live an instant that I do not live in love. Whoever loves does all things without suffering, or, suffering, loves his suffering.
The greatest feminists have also been the greatest lovers. I'm thinking not only of Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley, but of Anais Nin, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and of course Sappho. You cannot divide creative juices from human juices. And as long as juicy women are equated with bad women, we will err on the side of being bad.
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