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It hurts to love. It's like giving yourself to be flayed and knowing that at any moment the other person may just walk off with your skin.
Susan Sontag
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Loving someone can be painful and vulnerable, as it involves a deep emotional risk.

This quote by Susan Sontag expresses the pain and vulnerability that comes with love. It likens love to a self-sacrificial act where one gives their whole self to another, aware that the other person might not reciprocate that commitment, which could lead to emotional hurt and heartache.

Themes

LovePainVulnerabilityEmotionRelationship

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in discussions about the risks involved in intimate relationships.

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