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That kind of love comes and goes and is hard to remember…

“That kind of love comes and goes and is hard to remember afterwards, like pain. You would look at the man one day and you would think, I loved you, and the tense would be past, and you would be filled with a sense of wonder, because it was such an amazing and precarious and dumb thing to have…” quote by Margaret Atwood
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““That kind of love comes and goes and is hard to remember afterwards, like pain. You would look at the man one day and you would think, I loved you, and the tense would be past, and you would be filled with a sense of wonder, because it was such an amazing and precarious and dumb thing to have done; and you would know too why your friends had been evasive about it, at the time. There is a good deal of comfort, now, in remembering this.””

Margaret Atwood

About This Quote

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

Describes love as fleeting, painful, and wondrous, offering comfort in memory.

In simple terms: Love can be brief, painful, yet beautiful.

Key Takeaway

Find solace in remembering past love.

Themes

love memory pain

Mood

bitancholy contemplative

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • breakups
  • long‑term friendships
  • personal growth

Key Concepts

ephemeral relationships nostalgia

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does remembering love teach you?
  • How do you balance pain and wonder?
A Different Perspective

Memories may idealize painful experiences.

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