--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love and marriage are about work and…" description: "\"“Love and marriage are about work and compromise. They're about seeing someone for what he is, being dissapointed , and deciding to stick around anyway..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/ayelet-waldman-3229_life-happens_love-and-marriage-are-about-work-and-com_3133239.jpg" --- # Love and marriage are about work and compromise. They're… ![“Love and marriage are about work and compromise. They're about seeing someone for what he is, being dissapointed , and deciding to stick around anyway. They're about commitment and comfort, not some kind of sudden, hysterical recognition'. 'That's not what I want. Disspointment and comfort is not…” quote by Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/ayelet-waldman-3229_life-happens_love-and-marriage-are-about-work-and-com_3133239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/ayelet-waldman-3229_life-happens_love-and-marriage-are-about-work-and-com_3133239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/ayelet-waldman-3229_life-happens_love-and-marriage-are-about-work-and-com_3133239.jpg) > ““Love and marriage are about work and compromise. They're about seeing someone for what he is, being dissapointed , and deciding to stick around anyway. They're about commitment and comfort, not some kind of sudden, hysterical recognition'. 'That's not what I want. Disspointment and comfort is not what I want'. 'Why not? Because you expect it to be magical and mystical? Because you don't want to work?' 'Why can't it be magical? Why can't it be mystical?' 'Because if you count on magic and mysticism, then as soon as shit happens, as soon as life interferes, as soon as your stepson treats you badly, or your husband's ex-wife has a fit about something, or your baby dies, as soon as life happens, the magic will disappear and you'll be left with nothing. You can't count on magic. Trust me, I know. Sweetheart, little girl, you can't count on magic'.”” [Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-waldman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relationships require ongoing effort, realistic expectations, and resilience, not reliance on fleeting romance or magical solutions. **In simple terms:** Love is work, not magic. Key Takeaway Invest in steady, honest partnership work Themes commitment realism effort expectations Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - marriage counseling - conflict resolution workshops - daily gratitude practices - shared goal setting Key Concepts relationship dynamics psychology of love social contract Questions to Reflect On - What realistic expectations do you hold for partnership? - How can you cultivate daily commitment over fantasy? A Different Perspective Idealizing romance can lead to disappointment; balance is key. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Little girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-girl/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love and marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-marriage/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Mystical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystical/) ## Related quotes > [“There was no need for a term like ‘magical thinking’ in the Golden Age of Man...there was only genuine everyday magic and mysticism. Children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/there-was-no-need-for-a-term-like-magical-thinking-in-the-golden-age/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [Love & Marriage are about work & Compromise. 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Sometimes two people just click.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-kapoor/there-s-no-formula-that-can-make-a-marriage-work-sometimes-two-people/) [Rishi Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-kapoor/) > [The only way marriage can work is if a man respects the woman and she is a thinking woman and he wants to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-goldstein/the-only-way-marriage-can-work-is-if-a-man-respects-the-woman-and-she/) [Al Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-goldstein/) > [I don't know what it takes to make marriage work, but I'm going to keep trying until I get it right. I haven't given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/i-don-t-know-what-it-takes-to-make-marriage-work-but-i-m-going-to/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [“... I will say this. Marriage is work. It's hard work. Harder than anything else you'll ever do. Believe me, I know. And do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-pella-tracie-peterson/i-will-say-this-marriage-is-work-it-s-hard-work-harder-than-anything/) Judith Pella Tracie Peterson > [When I get married I'm going to make the marriage work. Getting married is forever, no matter what my spouse does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mlynowski/when-i-get-married-i-m-going-to-make-the-marriage-work-getting/) [Sarah Mlynowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mlynowski/) ## More by Ayelet Waldman > [What I do with my kids is - and I think they probably do ignore us - is No Alcohol. If they're drunk they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-waldman/what-i-do-with-my-kids-is-and-i-think-they-probably-do-ignore-us-is/) [Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-waldman/) > [You know, I feel like my job is to write a book. Then filmmakers come and they make a movie. 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You just have to have the right stuff to get through it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-a-mitchell/you-get-up-every-morning-then-life-happens-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [K.A. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-a-mitchell/) Browse all 308 Life happens quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Love and marriage are about work and compromise. They're about seeing someone for what he is, being dissapointed , and deciding to stick around anyway. They're about commitment and comfort, not some kind of sudden, hysterical recognition'. 'That's not what I want. Disspointment and comfort is not what I want'. 'Why not? Because you expect it to be magical and mystical? Because you don't want to work?' 'Why can't it be magical? Why can't it be mystical?' 'Because if you count on magic and mysticism, then as soon as shit happens, as soon as life interferes, as soon as your stepson treats you badly, or your husband's ex-wife has a fit about something, or your baby dies, as soon as life happens, the magic will disappear and you'll be left with nothing. You can't count on magic. Trust me, I know. 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