--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every relationship seems simple at its…" description: "\"“Every relationship seems simple at its start. Two people listening to each other, two shells meeting each other, making one world between them. There ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_relationship_every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-s_1775106.jpg" --- # Every relationship seems simple at its start. Two people… ![“Every relationship seems simple at its start. Two people listening to each other, two shells meeting each other, making one world between them. There are no others in the perfect unity of that instant, no other people or things or interests. It is free of ties or claims, unburdened by…” quote by Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_relationship_every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-s_1775106.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_relationship_every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-s_1775106.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_relationship_every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-s_1775106.jpg) > ““Every relationship seems simple at its start. Two people listening to each other, two shells meeting each other, making one world between them. There are no others in the perfect unity of that instant, no other people or things or interests. It is free of ties or claims, unburdened by responsibilities, by worry about the future or debts to the past. And then how swiftly, how inevitably the perfect unity is invaded; the relationship changes; it becomes complicated, encumbered by its contact with the world.”” [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relationships start as pure, mutual connection but become complex as external responsibilities and expectations intrude. **In simple terms:** Love begins simple, then gets complicated. Key Takeaway Recognize and address external pressures early. Themes love connection complexity responsibility growth Mood reflective hopeful cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - marriage - friendship - team projects - family dynamics Key Concepts mutual listening interdependence boundary setting Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain intimacy amid obligations? - What boundaries protect a healthy partnership? A Different Perspective Idealized unity is unrealistic; conflict arises naturally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Invaded Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invaded-relationship-1812332/) [Perfect Unity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-unity-1255507/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Relationship Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship-change/) [Relationship Changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship-changes-469781/) [Relationship Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship-simple-1555762/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Unity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unity/) [Worry About The Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-about-the-future/) ## Related quotes > [Relationships are such that if one person changes, the relationship changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-weiner-davis/relationships-are-such-that-if-one-person-changes-the-relationship/) [Michele Weiner-Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-weiner-davis/) > [Dayum. I see more relationship changes on Facebook than I do on Divorce Court!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dayum-i-see-more-relationship-changes-on-facebook-than-i-do-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The dynamic of a relationship changes when one person gets sober.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/the-dynamic-of-a-relationship-changes-when-one-person-gets-sober/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [When a marriage fails, the story of the relationship changes. The best parts, the parts that made you think getting married was a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-spelling/when-a-marriage-fails-the-story-of-the-relationship-changes-the-best/) [Tori Spelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-spelling/) > [The relationship changes as you learn more about people, and the work sort of takes on its own life. I enjoy this very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjork/the-relationship-changes-as-you-learn-more-about-people-and-the-work/) [Bjork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjork/) > [I think it's important to find someone that you really like as well as love. When the infatuation runs out, the first phase of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martina-mcbride/i-think-it-s-important-to-find-someone-that-you-really-like-as-well/) [Martina McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martina-mcbride/) > [As for adjustments, I think every relationship changes every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barun-sobti/as-for-adjustments-i-think-every-relationship-changes-every-day/) [Barun Sobti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barun-sobti/) > [It's funny: Your relationship changes with a song over time. After a year or so, you're a different person, so your songs, you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hozier/it-s-funny-your-relationship-changes-with-a-song-over-time-after-a/) [Hozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hozier/) > [ “So much in a relationship changes when a partner is seriously ill, helpless yet blameless, and indefatigably needy. I felt old. \[p. 99\] The… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/so-much-in-a-relationship-changes-when-a-partner-is-seriously-ill/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [The moment you know that this is the person with whom you want to spend the rest of your life, you should start the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-coles-james/the-moment-you-know-that-this-is-the-person-with-whom-you-want-to/) [Kay Coles James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-coles-james/) > [“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. COLOSSIANS 3:14 NIV”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inc-barbour-publishing/and-over-all-these-virtues-put-on-love-which-binds-them-all-together/) [Inc. Barbour Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inc-barbour-publishing/) > [All things are in the Universe, and the universe is in all things: we in it, and it in us; in this way everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/all-things-are-in-the-universe-and-the-universe-is-in-all-things-we/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [Those who live for one another learn that love is the bond of perfect unity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-fools-crow/those-who-live-for-one-another-learn-that-love-is-the-bond-of-perfect/) [Frank Fools Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-fools-crow/) > [“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colossians-3-14/and-over-all-these-virtues-put-on-love-which-binds-them-all-together-2/) [Colossians 3 14](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colossians-3-14/) > [“Relationships are complicated." "Not all of them. For instance, our relationship is very simple. You are annoying; I am annoyed. See? Totally uncomplicated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-stewart/relationships-are-complicated-not-all-of-them-for-instance-our/) [Lauren Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-stewart/) ## More by Anne Morrow Lindbergh > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Not knowing how to feed the spirit, we try to muffle its demands in distraction...What matters is that one be for a time inwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/not-knowing-how-to-feed-the-spirit-we-try-to-muffle-its-demands-in/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [How one hates to think of oneself as alone. How one avoids it. It seems to imply rejection or unpopularity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/how-one-hates-to-think-of-oneself-as-alone-how-one-avoids-it-it-seems/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [When one is a stranger to oneself then one is estranged from others too. If one is out of touch with oneself, then one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/when-one-is-a-stranger-to-oneself-then-one-is-estranged-from-others/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“Is it not rather ugly, one may ask? One collects material possessions not only for security, comfort or vanity, but for beauty as well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/is-it-not-rather-ugly-one-may-ask-one-collects-material-possessions/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [No one, it has been said, will ever look at the Moon in the same way again. More significantly can one say that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/no-one-it-has-been-said-will-ever-look-at-the-moon-in-the-same-way/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“It isn't for the moment you are stuck that you need courage, but for the long uphill climb back to sanity, faith and security.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/it-isn-t-for-the-moment-you-are-stuck-that-you-need-courage-but-for/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/by-and-large-mothers-and-housewives-are-the-only-workers-who-do-not/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [I do not like talking casually to people - it does not interest me - and most of them are unwilling to talk at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-do-not-like-talking-casually-to-people-it-does-not-interest-me-and/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“One comes in the end to realize that there is no permanent pure-relationship and there should not be. It is not even something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/one-comes-in-the-end-to-realize-that-there-is-no-permanent-pure/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [It is a difficult lesson to learn today-to leave one's friends and family and deliberately practice the art of solitude for an hour or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/it-is-a-difficult-lesson-to-learn-today-to-leave-one-s-friends-and/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [For relationships, too, must be like islands. One must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands surrounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/for-relationships-too-must-be-like-islands-one-must-accept-them-for/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can only collect a few. One moon shell is more impressive than three.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/one-cannot-collect-all-the-beautiful-shells-on-the-beach-one-can-only/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Why do progress and beauty have to be so opposed?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/why-do-progress-and-beauty-have-to-be-so-opposed/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) [Explore all 314 Anne Morrow Lindbergh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) ## More Relationship quotes > [I had developed a relationship with one of the anti-abortion sidewalk counselors who stood in front of my facility. We talked regularly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-had-developed-a-relationship-with-one-of-the-anti-abortion-sidewalk/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [Loving you is the best feeling have ever had, and you loving me is the greater gift I have..I will be brave, I wont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fash/loving-you-is-the-best-feeling-have-ever-had-and-you-loving-me-is-the/) [Fash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fash/) > [I'd rather hear a guy say, I've made plans for us, instead of the usual, I don't know; whatever you wanna do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-rather-hear-a-guy-say-i-ve-made-plans-for-us-instead-of-the-usual/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [I don't think my relationship with the idea of womanhood is that attached to giving birth... like, I'm fully aware that I'll never give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-harrison/i-don-t-think-my-relationship-with-the-idea-of-womanhood-is-that/) [Patti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-harrison/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [I want a man that when I come running up to him with tears running down my face, the first thing he says is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-a-man-that-when-i-come-running-up-to-him-with-tears-running/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Loving the wrong person doesn't mean ypu're stupid. It was stupid of that person not to appreciate your LOVE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pretty-nimy/loving-the-wrong-person-doesn-t-mean-ypu-re-stupid-it-was-stupid-of/) [Pretty\_Nimy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pretty-nimy/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [Your feelings (mood) dictate your thought, your thought determines your attitude (reactions) and your attitude describes your lifestyle, so: be careful how you feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheye-hassan/your-feelings-mood-dictate-your-thought-your-thought-determines-your/) [Sheye Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheye-hassan/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) [Shelly Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-yang/) > [A Real Boyfriend does the sweetest things randomly because he never wants her to feel unappreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/a-real-boyfriend-does-the-sweetest-things-randomly-because-he-never/) [Enhance Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enhance-dreams/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [My mom and dad had the relationship that I want, and they were teammates. They were always equal 50/50.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-kufrin/my-mom-and-dad-had-the-relationship-that-i-want-and-they-were/) [Becca Kufrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-kufrin/) [Browse all 18,008 Relationship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Every relationship seems simple at its start. Two people listening to each other, two shells meeting each other, making one world between them. There are no others in the perfect unity of that instant, no other people or things or interests. It is free of ties or claims, unburdened by responsibilities, by worry about the future or debts to the past. And then how swiftly, how inevitably the perfect unity is invaded; the relationship changes; it becomes complicated, encumbered by its contact with the world.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anne Morrow Lindbergh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-start-two-people-listening-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Relationship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-start-two-people-listening-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_relationship_every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-s_1775106.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_relationship_every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-s_1775106.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d5/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_relationship_every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-s_1775106.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every relationship seems simple at its start. Two people listening to each other, two shells meeting each…” — Anne Morrow Lindbergh", "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": "Anne Morrow Lindbergh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Every relationship seems simple at its...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-start-two-people-listening-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/every-relationship-seems-simple-at-its-start-two-people-listening-to/#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 } } ] } ```