--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't work like that. We don't earn…" description: "\"“It doesn't work like that. We don't earn love... it's a gift we're given.”\" — A.L. Jackson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/a-l-jackson-3740_love_it-doesn-t-work-like-that-we-don-t-earn_1791151.jpg" --- # It doesn't work like that. We don't earn love... it's a… ![“It doesn't work like that. We don't earn love... it's a gift we're given.” quote by A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/a-l-jackson-3740_love_it-doesn-t-work-like-that-we-don-t-earn_1791151.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/a-l-jackson-3740_love_it-doesn-t-work-like-that-we-don-t-earn_1791151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/a-l-jackson-3740_love_it-doesn-t-work-like-that-we-don-t-earn_1791151.jpg) > ““It doesn't work like that. We don't earn love... it's a gift we're given.”” [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) ## 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 unconditional, not earned through deeds; it's a given gift. **In simple terms:** Love is a gift, not earned. Key Takeaway Accept love without conditions. Themes love acceptance relationships Mood warm thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - therapy sessions - self‑esteem work Key Concepts unconditional love gift theory Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel love as a gift? - How does this view affect expectations? A Different Perspective Some may misuse the idea to avoid accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earn Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earn-love-658152/) [Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift/) [Gift Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift-given/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-does/) [Love Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-gift/) ## Related quotes > [“Aly, "It doesn't work like that. We don't earn love... it's a gift we're given.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/aly-it-doesn-t-work-like-that-we-don-t-earn-love-it-s-a-gift-we-re/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [Love's gift cannot be given, it waits to be accepted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/love-s-gift-cannot-be-given-it-waits-to-be-accepted/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [Every gift which is given, even though is be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pindar/every-gift-which-is-given-even-though-is-be-small-is-in-reality-great/) [Pindar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pindar/) > [I feel that God has given me a very special opportunity that I should not let go to waste. I use the gift he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-feel-that-god-has-given-me-a-very-special-opportunity-that-i-should/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [“the gift given for no reason is the purest gift of all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-banks/the-gift-given-for-no-reason-is-the-purest-gift-of-all/) [L.A. Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-banks/) > [A gift given is a gift received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-gift-given-is-a-gift-received/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyday is a gift, not a given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyday-is-a-gift-not-a-given/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're doing something you love to do, when you have a gift, it's the most rewarding thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-edwards/when-you-re-doing-something-you-love-to-do-when-you-have-a-gift-it-s/) [Dennis Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-edwards/) > [Love is the one gift that you can give again, again, and again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/love-is-the-one-gift-that-you-can-give-again-again-and-again/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Apart from the money actors earn, it is the love and appreciation that keeps everyone looking forward to do more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neena-gupta/apart-from-the-money-actors-earn-it-is-the-love-and-appreciation-that/) [Neena Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neena-gupta/) > [You'll have to prove yourself to hell and back a million diffrent times to earn love & trust back. Realize what you have from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daviddave/you-ll-have-to-prove-yourself-to-hell-and-back-a-million-diffrent/) [DavidDave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daviddave/) > [You are not a man until you give your love, truly and freely to a child. And you are not a good man until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/you-are-not-a-man-until-you-give-your-love-truly-and-freely-to-a/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [As a young woman, I was so eager to please that I served others' happiness and even their values before my own. It didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-harrison/as-a-young-woman-i-was-so-eager-to-please-that-i-served-others/) [Kathryn Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-harrison/) > [If giving out all I possess will earn me your love the I will give more than that, I will give you my heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chidubem-mbamobi/if-giving-out-all-i-possess-will-earn-me-your-love-the-i-will-give/) [Chidubem Mbamobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chidubem-mbamobi/) > [Knowing the personality of the one you are dealing with helps you earn his love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-al-arifi/knowing-the-personality-of-the-one-you-are-dealing-with-helps-you/) [Dr Al-Arifi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-al-arifi/) ## More by A.L. Jackson > [“Never would I take what I’d been given for granted. I’d never look at her through indifferent eyes, listen to her fears and worries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/never-would-i-take-what-i-d-been-given-for-granted-i-d-never-look-at/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“Erin called us soul mates, but I…I’ve always known it was more than that. It’s like we share the same soul, and when we’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/erin-called-us-soul-mates-but-i-i-ve-always-known-it-was-more-than/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“Maybe my steps were slow. Maybe it was because I was relishing each one, like each represented an obstacle we'd had to climb, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/maybe-my-steps-were-slow-maybe-it-was-because-i-was-relishing-each/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“Was it wrong that all I wanted to do was kiss her? I smiled, and Maggie blushed. Oh God. So cute. I knew then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/was-it-wrong-that-all-i-wanted-to-do-was-kiss-her-i-smiled-and-maggie/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“I don’t get to have this. I already told you… you deserve someone who can love you, someone who will be good for you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/i-don-t-get-to-have-this-i-already-told-you-you-deserve-someone-who/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“Make me remember what it feels like to be loved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/make-me-remember-what-it-feels-like-to-be-loved/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“No, baby, I like the dress." I was just going to like it much, much more in a pile on my bedroom floor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/no-baby-i-like-the-dress-i-was-just-going-to-like-it-much-much-more/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“No, Jared, you're not. You're my everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/no-jared-you-re-not-you-re-my-everything/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“I’m afraid of this. It’s insane that I’m here. You’re the last person I should fall for.” His big hand cupped the side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/i-m-afraid-of-this-it-s-insane-that-i-m-here-you-re-the-last-person-i/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“My body trembled as all the regrets of my life washed through me, my heart feeling as if it were on the verge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/my-body-trembled-as-all-the-regrets-of-my-life-washed-through-me-my/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“You changed everything the day you walked into my life. You are my heart’s second chance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/you-changed-everything-the-day-you-walked-into-my-life-you-are-my/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“Hearts have a way of finding their way home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/hearts-have-a-way-of-finding-their-way-home/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“Maybe the most important question was the one that burned bright, the one that nagged, the one that promised Christian could never be scraped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/maybe-the-most-important-question-was-the-one-that-burned-bright-the/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“No fear. Just life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/no-fear-just-life/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [“don’t want to leave behind any question of how much I love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/don-t-want-to-leave-behind-any-question-of-how-much-i-love-you/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) [Explore all 123 A.L. Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) ## More Gift quotes > [Here I am, 11 years old, and these grown men have to give it everything they have to beat me. In one part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/here-i-am-11-years-old-and-these-grown-men-have-to-give-it-everything/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The greatest gift you can give to those around you is honesty. Sometimes honest words may sting the heart, but dishonesty pierces deep into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/the-greatest-gift-you-can-give-to-those-around-you-is-honesty/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [MOM,DAD YOU'RE THE BEST GIFT I EVER HAD.THERE'S NO ONE WILL BE LIKE YOU.THANKS GOD FOR THESE PRECIOUS GIFT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottoe/mom-dad-you-re-the-best-gift-i-ever-had-there-s-no-one-will-be-like/) [Ottoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottoe/) > [By the gift of God, WWE fell into my lap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-brooke/by-the-gift-of-god-wwe-fell-into-my-lap/) [Dana Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-brooke/) > [Here is your third gift from Me once again..I had a fourth gift it was about me making a video telling you how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilbear/here-is-your-third-gift-from-me-once-again-i-had-a-fourth-gift-it-was/) [LilBear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilbear/) > [“Children give terrible gifts because they are poor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-delaney/children-give-terrible-gifts-because-they-are-poor/) [Rob Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-delaney/) > [What a gift it would be if every child in the country could hear a professional orchestra at least once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/what-a-gift-it-would-be-if-every-child-in-the-country-could-hear-a/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Being able to scream at the top of my lungs in front of people is very therapeutic. It is a great gift for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/being-able-to-scream-at-the-top-of-my-lungs-in-front-of-people-is/) [Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/) > [“Falling in love is easy. Fools fall in love all the time. Staying in love is the test of time and the gift you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-murphy/falling-in-love-is-easy-fools-fall-in-love-all-the-time-staying-in/) [James A. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-murphy/) > [A woman who is careful with her words is a gift to all who know her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/a-woman-who-is-careful-with-her-words-is-a-gift-to-all-who-know-her/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [“I believe that our world was created with a sense of order. For every loss, there's a gain. Sometimes we're so blinded by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-macomber/i-believe-that-our-world-was-created-with-a-sense-of-order-for-every/) [Debbie Macomber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-macomber/) > [Love cannot be had for the asking; it comes only as a gift from the heart of another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/love-cannot-be-had-for-the-asking-it-comes-only-as-a-gift-from-the/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [“It is the gift of stories that most repays life among settled people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-michael-pyle/it-is-the-gift-of-stories-that-most-repays-life-among-settled-people/) [Robert Michael Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-michael-pyle/) [Browse all 4,269 Gift quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It doesn't work like that. 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