--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But maybe a broken heart seemed a simple…" description: "\"“But maybe a broken heart seemed a simple price to pay, the way that all costs that must be settled in the future appear, until they suddenly come due...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/alice-hoffman-427_broken-heart_but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple_2827769.png" --- # But maybe a broken heart seemed a simple price to pay, the… ![“But maybe a broken heart seemed a simple price to pay, the way that all costs that must be settled in the future appear, until they suddenly come due.” quote by Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/alice-hoffman-427_broken-heart_but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple_2827769.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/alice-hoffman-427_broken-heart_but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple_2827769.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/alice-hoffman-427_broken-heart_but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple_2827769.png) > ““But maybe a broken heart seemed a simple price to pay, the way that all costs that must be settled in the future appear, until they suddenly come due.”” [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A broken heart is a costly but inevitable price for future emotional debts that eventually demand payment. **In simple terms:** Heartbreak is a necessary cost for future growth. Key Takeaway Accept pain as part of healing. Themes heartbreak growth future price Mood melancholic hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - grief counseling - personal development Key Concepts emotional debt acceptance healing Questions to Reflect On - What lessons can you learn from heartbreak? - How do you balance loss and hope? A Different Perspective Not all pain leads to growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [The cure for a broken heart is simple, my lady. A hot bath and a good night's sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-george/the-cure-for-a-broken-heart-is-simple-my-lady-a-hot-bath-and-a-good/) [Margaret George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-george/) > [The language of the heart--the language which "comes from the heart" and "goes to the heart"--is always simple, always graceful, and always full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/the-language-of-the-heart-the-language-which-comes-from-the-heart-and/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [Years ago, when I first fell in love with country music, part of the reason was that it was so much from the heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-morgan/years-ago-when-i-first-fell-in-love-with-country-music-part-of-the/) [Lorrie Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-morgan/) > [True piety hath in it nothing weak, nothing sad, nothing constrained. It enlarges the heart; it is simple, free, and attractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/true-piety-hath-in-it-nothing-weak-nothing-sad-nothing-constrained-it/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-me-prayer-is-a-surge-of-the-heart-it-is-a-simple-look-turned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And if he had judged her harshly? If her life were a simple rosary of hours, her life simple and strange as a bird's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/and-if-he-had-judged-her-harshly-if-her-life-were-a-simple-rosary-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [Listening to your heart is not simple. Finding out who you are is not simple. It takes a lot of hard work and courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-bender/listening-to-your-heart-is-not-simple-finding-out-who-you-are-is-not/) Sue Bender > [“Maybe I was still broken and would always be-but now, at least, I was piecing myself back together, lining up one jagged edge at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/maybe-i-was-still-broken-and-would-always-be-but-now-at-least-i-was/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) > [“Maybe being broken helps you become a better person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-rawl/maybe-being-broken-helps-you-become-a-better-person/) Paige Rawl > [“Plastic hearts are made so they cannot be broken. Cracked maybe, but never broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-de-jong/plastic-hearts-are-made-so-they-cannot-be-broken-cracked-maybe-but/) [Lisa De Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-de-jong/) > [Maybe, just maybe, two broken people could manage to create something whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/maybe-just-maybe-two-broken-people-could-manage-to-create-something/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [“Did you ever notice that all machines are made for some reason?" he asked Isabelle. "They are built to make you laugh, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/did-you-ever-notice-that-all-machines-are-made-for-some-reason-he/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [Maybe that's why a broken machine always makes me a little sad, because it isn't able to do what it was meant to do...Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/maybe-that-s-why-a-broken-machine-always-makes-me-a-little-sad/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [“Did you ever notice that all machines are made for some reason? … They are built to make you laugh, like the mouse here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/did-you-ever-notice-that-all-machines-are-made-for-some-reason-they/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [“Maybe broken is what happens before you become unbroken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-martin/maybe-broken-is-what-happens-before-you-become-unbroken/) [Charles Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-martin/) ## More by Alice Hoffman > [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“All of the quarters in his hand were tarnished. He had no idea that the silver in a man’s pockets always turns black if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/all-of-the-quarters-in-his-hand-were-tarnished-he-had-no-idea-that/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [But most important of all, she explained that it was all right to say 'No. I disagree.' that was a gift. I understood it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-most-important-of-all-she-explained-that-it-was-all-right-to-say/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“It was after dark when the woods were most filled with magic, when there were fireflies and the mist was rising from the streams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-was-after-dark-when-the-woods-were-most-filled-with-magic-when/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Never look back, that's what she's told herself. Don't think about swans or being alone in the dark. Don't think of storms, or lightning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/never-look-back-that-s-what-she-s-told-herself-don-t-think-about/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [This was what it meant to be human, to know that time moved and all things changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/this-was-what-it-meant-to-be-human-to-know-that-time-moved-and-all/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“She preferred cats to human beings and turned down every offer from the men who fell in love with her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/she-preferred-cats-to-human-beings-and-turned-down-every-offer-from/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I'm a really eclectic reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-m-a-really-eclectic-reader/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [It's not the lie that's the problem; it's the distance the lie forges between you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-s-not-the-lie-that-s-the-problem-it-s-the-distance-the-lie-forges/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Her vision was going, but she could see him, the way people see clouds-beautiful, racing by, casting shadows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/her-vision-was-going-but-she-could-see-him-the-way-people-see-clouds/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [That's why there are ten gates to pass through before you reach the garden. If life were easy there would be one gate. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/that-s-why-there-are-ten-gates-to-pass-through-before-you-reach-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“...the summer of the gypsy moths when all the trees in their yard were bare, the leaves chewed by caterpillars. You could hear crunching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-summer-of-the-gypsy-moths-when-all-the-trees-in-their-yard-were/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“The best way to die is when you're living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-best-way-to-die-is-when-you-re-living/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Haylin was given a good talking-to by the headmaster and made to write a paper about workers’ rights, which he considered a privilege rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/haylin-was-given-a-good-talking-to-by-the-headmaster-and-made-to/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/my-darling-girl-when-are-you-going-to-realize-that-being-normal-is/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) [Explore all 571 Alice Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## More Broken Heart quotes > [“Something was bleeding… and something was broken. It was my heart… because I had to leave you. (Chase to Rayne)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-brockman/something-was-bleeding-and-something-was-broken-it-was-my-heart/) Kimberly Brockman > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [When the time comes for you to give your heart to someone, make sure that you select someone who will never break your heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-give-your-heart-to-someone-make-sure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I truly cared for left me with a broken heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keys/the-only-person-i-truly-cared-for-left-me-with-a-broken-heart/) [Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keys/) > [“The moment a child leaves us, a parent’s heart feels different. Medically, this condition is called “broken heart syndrome,” but grieving parents knew this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-k-mccarty/the-moment-a-child-leaves-us-a-parent-s-heart-feels-different/) [Pam K. McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-k-mccarty/) > [When you work on a passion project, there's always the chance that you'll get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-zadan/when-you-work-on-a-passion-project-there-s-always-the-chance-that-you/) [Craig Zadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-zadan/) > [It changes you a little bit every time you either break someone's heart or get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/it-changes-you-a-little-bit-every-time-you-either-break-someone-s/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [People sometimes encounter to be broken heart but it is not means everything stop in there, we need to continue loving cause love never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berlindo-bianes/people-sometimes-encounter-to-be-broken-heart-but-it-is-not-means/) [Berlindo Bianes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berlindo-bianes/) > [“She's the only girl who's ever broken my heart, and it's a very weird, uncomfortable feeling for me. I like to be the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-barnholdt/she-s-the-only-girl-who-s-ever-broken-my-heart-and-it-s-a-very-weird/) [Lauren Barnholdt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-barnholdt/) > [“As there is no joy for the broken heart, there is also no harmony to a guitar with broken strings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-mbanzabugabo/as-there-is-no-joy-for-the-broken-heart-there-is-also-no-harmony-to-a/) [Bruce Mbanzabugabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-mbanzabugabo/) > [When you fell I caught you. When I fell you let go. You told me I was a MISTAKE. You never loved me or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-fell-i-caught-you-when-i-fell-you-let-go-you-told-me-i-was-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How horrifying that morning when you wake up and your first thought is not of the person who has left. That’s when you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamila-shamsie/how-horrifying-that-morning-when-you-wake-up-and-your-first-thought/) [Kamila Shamsie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamila-shamsie/) > [“My longtime broken heart was breaking again, shattering, falling to pieces and disintegrating. And in its place was a brand new heart. Like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-sheehan/my-longtime-broken-heart-was-breaking-again-shattering-falling-to/) [Madeline Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-sheehan/) > [Some broken heart, may never mend, Some memories may never end, Some wet tears may never dry, But my love for you will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-broken-heart-may-never-mend-some-memories-may-never-end-some-wet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 1,049 Broken Heart quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But maybe a broken heart seemed a simple price to pay, the way that all costs that must be settled in the future appear, until they suddenly come due.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple-price-to-pay-the-way-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Broken Heart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple-price-to-pay-the-way-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/alice-hoffman-427_broken-heart_but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple_2827769.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/alice-hoffman-427_broken-heart_but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple_2827769.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/alice-hoffman-427_broken-heart_but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple_2827769.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But maybe a broken heart seemed a simple price to pay, the way that all costs that must be settled in the…” — Alice Hoffman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alice Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But maybe a broken heart seemed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple-price-to-pay-the-way-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-maybe-a-broken-heart-seemed-a-simple-price-to-pay-the-way-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```