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Love is not getting, but giving. Not a wild dream of…

“Love is not getting, but giving. Not a wild dream of pleasure and madness of desire - oh, no - love is not that! It is goodness and honor and peace and pure living - yes, love is that and it is the best thing in the world and the thing that lives the longest…” quote by Henry Van Dyke
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“Love is not getting, but giving. Not a wild dream of pleasure and madness of desire - oh, no - love is not that! It is goodness and honor and peace and pure living - yes, love is that and it is the best thing in the world and the thing that lives the longest…”

Henry Van Dyke

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Love is defined not by desire or fantasy, but by virtues like goodness, honor, peace, and pure living, making it the most enduring and valuable thing.

In simple terms: Love is about virtue, not desire.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate love through goodness and honor.

Themes

love virtue peace

Mood

hopeful inspirational

Type

ethical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • relationships
  • community building
  • personal growth

Key Concepts

ethics philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

  • Do you equate love with personal fulfillment?
  • How can you practice love as a virtue?
A Different Perspective

Desire can be fleeting and misleading.

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