--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is but a shadow and a thought that you…" description: "\"It is but a shadow and a thought that you love. I cannot give you what you seek.\" — Aragorn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ff/aragorn-26107_love_it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-yo_2781671.jpg" --- # It is but a shadow and a thought that you love. I cannot… ![“It is but a shadow and a thought that you love. I cannot give you what you seek.” quote by Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ff/aragorn-26107_love_it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-yo_2781671.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ff/aragorn-26107_love_it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-yo_2781671.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ff/aragorn-26107_love_it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-yo_2781671.jpg) > “It is but a shadow and a thought that you love. I cannot give you what you seek.” [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love can be intangible, a fleeting shadow or thought, and cannot be fully given or received. **In simple terms:** Love is often elusive and ungraspable. Key Takeaway Accept love’s mystery. Themes love loss spirituality Mood melancholic hopeful Type mythic poetic When to use this quote - unrequited love - spiritual yearning - creative inspiration Key Concepts existential philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What does love mean to you? - How do you handle love that feels like a shadow? A Different Perspective Expecting tangible love may cause disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [“Shadow thought there was a lot to be said for bottling up emotions. If you did it long enough and deep enough, he suspected,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-thought-there-was-a-lot-to-be-said-for-bottling-up-emotions-if/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“I would be no more than a shadow of myself if I thought that I had truly lost you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lise-arin/i-would-be-no-more-than-a-shadow-of-myself-if-i-thought-that-i-had/) Lise Arin > [“And yet, Eomer, I say to you that she loves you more truly than me, for you she loves and knows; but in me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/and-yet-eomer-i-say-to-you-that-she-loves-you-more-truly-than-me-for-2/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“every shadow of a thought or doubt.. crossed his face with the clarity of cloud shadows racing across the fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-bogarde/every-shadow-of-a-thought-or-doubt-crossed-his-face-with-the-clarity/) [Dirk Bogarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-bogarde/) > [Shadow had heard too many people telling each other not to repress their feelings, to let their emotions out, let the pain go. Shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-had-heard-too-many-people-telling-each-other-not-to-repress/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“As I slip in, I wonder whether, in ten years, I’ll hear a riff or an opening chord to one of the songs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/as-i-slip-in-i-wonder-whether-in-ten-years-i-ll-hear-a-riff-or-an/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [“Shadow thought about how you made the moon seem to come out of the sky and become a silver dollar, and what made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-thought-about-how-you-made-the-moon-seem-to-come-out-of-the/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Put love first. Entertain thoughts that give life. And when a thought or resentment, or hurt, or fear comes your way, have another thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-manin-morrissey/put-love-first-entertain-thoughts-that-give-life-and-when-a-thought/) [Mary Manin Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-manin-morrissey/) > [Some times…When I'm all alone. I close my eyes and think of you... and the thought of your love worms me inside and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-times-when-i-m-all-alone-i-close-my-eyes-and-think-of-you-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Who can resist the thought that love is the ideological bone thrown to women to distract their attention from the powerlessness of their lives?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-rose/who-can-resist-the-thought-that-love-is-the-ideological-bone-thrown/) [Phyllis Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-rose/) > [It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/it-was-many-and-many-a-year-ago-in-a-kingdom-by-the-sea-that-a-maiden/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“George Earnshawe regarded his wife with fond affection, and would have found her hatred of him astonishing. He thought of her in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/george-earnshawe-regarded-his-wife-with-fond-affection-and-would-have/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“My love for you is a prayer, she thought. Love is the only prayer I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-zimmer-bradley/my-love-for-you-is-a-prayer-she-thought-love-is-the-only-prayer-i-know/) [Marion Zimmer Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-zimmer-bradley/) > [“I thought it was love. I thought I’d die from how much I loved you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-butler/i-thought-it-was-love-i-thought-i-d-die-from-how-much-i-loved-you/) [Eden Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-butler/) > [“I thought for sure we'd spend forever together. I thought our love was one of a kind. I would almost be okay if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-mclaughlin/i-thought-for-sure-we-d-spend-forever-together-i-thought-our-love-was/) [Heidi McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-mclaughlin/) ## More by Aragorn > [You may go no further! You will not enter Gondor. Legolas, fire a warning shot past the bosun's ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/you-may-go-no-further-you-will-not-enter-gondor-legolas-fire-a/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [Not for ourselves. But we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's Eye fixed upon us. Keep him blind to all else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/not-for-ourselves-but-we-can-give-frodo-his-chance-if-we-keep-sauron/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [This day does not belong to one man but to all. Let us together rebuild this world that we may share in the days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/this-day-does-not-belong-to-one-man-but-to-all-let-us-together/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [Draw out Sauron's armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/draw-out-sauron-s-armies-empty-his-lands-then-we-gather-our-full/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Let justice be done upon him!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/let-the-lord-of-the-black-land-come-forth-let-justice-be-done-upon-him/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [Behold! The sword of Elendil!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/behold-the-sword-of-elendil/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [Long have you hunted me, long have I eluded you. No more. Behold! The Sword of Elendil!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/long-have-you-hunted-me-long-have-i-eluded-you-no-more-behold-the/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [Every hour lost hastens Gondor's defeat. We have 'til dawn, then we must ride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/every-hour-lost-hastens-gondor-s-defeat-we-have-til-dawn-then-we-must/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [We have time. Every day Frodo moves closer to Mordor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/we-have-time-every-day-frodo-moves-closer-to-mordor/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [No. There is still hope for Frodo. He needs time... and safe passage across the plains of Gorgoroth. We can give him that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/no-there-is-still-hope-for-frodo-he-needs-time-and-safe-passage/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [My friends. You bow to no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/my-friends-you-bow-to-no-one/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [“Den som ikke kan skille seg av med sine skatter når han må, han er i lenker.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/den-som-ikke-kan-skille-seg-av-med-sine-skatter-n-r-han-m-han-er-i/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [I do not fear death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/i-do-not-fear-death/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [What say you? What say you? I am Isildur's heir. Fight for me. And I will hold your oaths fulfilled. What say you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/what-say-you-what-say-you-i-am-isildur-s-heir-fight-for-me-and-i-will/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) > [Not this time, Gimli. This time you must stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/not-this-time-gimli-this-time-you-must-stay/) [Aragorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) [Explore all 22 Aragorn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/) ## More Love quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/) [Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“To be loved by a man, truly loved, made a woman feel as if she could burst. Of course, Lia was strong and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-anne/to-be-loved-by-a-man-truly-loved-made-a-woman-feel-as-if-she-could/) [Melody Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-anne/) > [So when you take those tears, don't look to see I'm alright. …\*Seal - Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/so-when-you-take-those-tears-don-t-look-to-see-i-m-alright-seal-violet/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) [Browse all 233,035 Love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is but a shadow and a thought that you love. I cannot give you what you seek.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aragorn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-you-love-i-cannot-give-you-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-you-love-i-cannot-give-you-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ff/aragorn-26107_love_it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-yo_2781671.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ff/aragorn-26107_love_it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-yo_2781671.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ff/aragorn-26107_love_it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-yo_2781671.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is but a shadow and a thought that you love. I cannot give you what you seek.” — Aragorn", "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": "Aragorn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aragorn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is but a shadow and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-you-love-i-cannot-give-you-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aragorn/it-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-thought-that-you-love-i-cannot-give-you-what/#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 } } ] } ```