Begins Quote by Anaïs Nin
““When does real love begin? At first it was a fire, eclipses, short circuits, lightning and fireworks; the incense, hammocks, drugs, wines, perfumes; then spasm and honey, fever, fatigue, warmth, currents of liquid fire, feast and orgies; then dreams, visions, candlelight, flowers, pictures; then images out of the past, fairy tales, stories, then pages out of a book, a poem; then laughter, then chastity. At what moment does the knife wound sink so deep that the flesh begins to weep with love? At first power, power, then the wound, and love, and love and fears, and the loss of the self, and the gift, and slavery. At first I ruled, loved less; then more, then slavery. Slavery to his image, his odor, the craving, the hunger, the thirst, the obsession.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Little Birds by Anaïs Nin, 1979
Love evolves through intense, chaotic phases before settling into deeper, self‑sacrificial commitment, often marked by pain and loss of self.
In simple terms: Love starts wild, ends in deep, painful commitment.
Key Takeaway
Accept love’s complexity and its transformative pain.
Themes
love
passion
transformation
identity
dependency
Mood
melancholic
intense
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- first dates
- long‑term relationships
- breakups
- self‑reflection
- healing
Key Concepts
psychology
philosophy
romanticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What parts of love feel like a wound?
- How can you keep self‑identity in love?
A Different Perspective
Love’s intensity can mask unhealthy dependency and self‑loss.
