--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love was like that, like a dream you…" description: "\"Love was like that, like a dream you didn't quite understand, one in which you didn't necessarily know what you were looking at until it was right in f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/alice-hoffman-427_dream_love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn_148539.png" --- # Love was like that, like a dream you didn't quite… ![“Love was like that, like a dream you didn't quite understand, one in which you didn't necessarily know what you were looking at until it was right in front of you.” quote by Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/alice-hoffman-427_dream_love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn_148539.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/alice-hoffman-427_dream_love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn_148539.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/alice-hoffman-427_dream_love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn_148539.png) > “Love was like that, like a dream you didn't quite understand, one in which you didn't necessarily know what you were looking at until it was right in front of you.” [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. The quote describes love as an elusive, dream‑like experience that becomes clear only when it appears directly before us, often without prior understanding. **In simple terms:** Love feels mysterious until it shows up clearly. Key Takeaway Embrace love when it arrives, even if unclear. Themes love perception realization Mood reflective hopeful Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - first love - unexpected relationships - self‑discovery - creative inspiration Key Concepts romantic idealism epiphany Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize love when it arrives? - What assumptions change when love becomes clear? A Different Perspective Love may be idealized, overlooking practical challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream that I didn’t care anymore…when I woke up I realized that I was stuck with a big heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starley-ard/i-had-a-dream-that-i-didn-t-care-anymore-when-i-woke-up-i-realized/) [Starley Ard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starley-ard/) > [“I was going to make him forget, too. He would forget every woman who came before me, every moment that I wasn’t a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-nichols/i-was-going-to-make-him-forget-too-he-would-forget-every-woman-who/) [Emma Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-nichols/) > [“I had a dream about you. I know, I know, I have never met you, but I’m pretty sure I had a dream about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-kennett/i-had-a-dream-about-you-i-know-i-know-i-have-never-met-you-but-i-m/) Ashley Kennett > [The dream didn't fade as dreams usually do upon waking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-dream-didn-t-fade-as-dreams-usually-do-upon-waking/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I didn't want to be an actress. It wasn't a dream. I didn't have any dreams at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandrine-bonnaire/i-didn-t-want-to-be-an-actress-it-wasn-t-a-dream-i-didn-t-have-any/) [Sandrine Bonnaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandrine-bonnaire/) > [“H--‐how did we get in the water?” “You were burning. I needed to do something to cool you. As soon as I carried you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-naughton/h-how-did-we-get-in-the-water-you-were-burning-i-needed-to-do/) [Elisabeth Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-naughton/) > [Often the biggest dreamers get hurt the most. They were pure in their insanity and in their isolation. They were living the dream amongst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmony-korine/often-the-biggest-dreamers-get-hurt-the-most-they-were-pure-in-their/) [Harmony Korine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harmony-korine/) > [I am not a country girl at all. I tried the whole country dream and it didn't work for me. I need the madness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laila-rouass/i-am-not-a-country-girl-at-all-i-tried-the-whole-country-dream-and-it/) [Laila Rouass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laila-rouass/) > [It is not the broken dream that breaks our heart but the dream we didn't dare to dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-the-broken-dream-that-breaks-our-heart-but-the-dream-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've never had a dream that didn't come true, if I waited long enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-massey/i-ve-never-had-a-dream-that-didn-t-come-true-if-i-waited-long-enough/) Raymond Massey > [“You need to be able to let go of a dream that didn’t work and commit yourself to a new dream that might.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ido-leffler/you-need-to-be-able-to-let-go-of-a-dream-that-didn-t-work-and-commit/) [Ido Leffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ido-leffler/) > [I find to my mixed astonishment that I do dream, but I didn't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/i-find-to-my-mixed-astonishment-that-i-do-dream-but-i-didn-t-know-it/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [We set out with nothing but music as our dream, but we didn't know where we were going, whether we were going uphill or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-hope/we-set-out-with-nothing-but-music-as-our-dream-but-we-didn-t-know/) [J-Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-hope/) > [There's always been a lot of pressure and tension on the line. If 'Pi' didn't work out, I have no idea what my career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/there-s-always-been-a-lot-of-pressure-and-tension-on-the-line-if-pi/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) ## 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 Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Love was like that, like a dream you didn't quite understand, one in which you didn't necessarily know what you were looking at until it was right in front of you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn-t-quite-understand-one-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn-t-quite-understand-one-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/alice-hoffman-427_dream_love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn_148539.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/alice-hoffman-427_dream_love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn_148539.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/alice-hoffman-427_dream_love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn_148539.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Love was like that, like a dream you didn't quite understand, one in which you didn't necessarily know what…” — 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": "Love was like that, like a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn-t-quite-understand-one-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/love-was-like-that-like-a-dream-you-didn-t-quite-understand-one-in/#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 } } ] } ```