--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better not to have anything. Not even…" description: "\"“Better not to have anything. Not even love. If you got attached to something, it only got taken away. Child or adult. Toys or people. No difference”\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/barbara-elsborg-13499_children_better-not-to-have-anything-not-even-lov_2134958.jpg" --- # Better not to have anything. Not even love. If you got… ![“Better not to have anything. Not even love. If you got attached to something, it only got taken away. Child or adult. Toys or people. No difference” quote by Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/barbara-elsborg-13499_children_better-not-to-have-anything-not-even-lov_2134958.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/barbara-elsborg-13499_children_better-not-to-have-anything-not-even-lov_2134958.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca2/barbara-elsborg-13499_children_better-not-to-have-anything-not-even-lov_2134958.jpg) > ““Better not to have anything. Not even love. If you got attached to something, it only got taken away. Child or adult. Toys or people. No difference”” [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates detachment to avoid loss and pain from attachments. **In simple terms:** Avoid getting too attached to things or people. Key Takeaway Practice emotional resilience. Themes philosophy psychology well‑being Mood reflective calm Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - relationships - consumer habits - career goals Key Concepts detachment impermanence emotional health Questions to Reflect On - What can you let go of? - How does attachment cause suffering? A Different Perspective Detachment can lead to isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adult Toys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adult-toys-4417129/) [Attached](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attached/) [Attached Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attached-got-779946/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Got Attached](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-attached-1811634/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Toys People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toys-people-2477628/) ## Related quotes > [Looking back on it at least my pride is in tact 'cause we said no strings attached and I still got tied up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/looking-back-on-it-at-least-my-pride-is-in-tact-cause-we-said-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The biggest thing is having a son. I got attached to him. Seeing him periodically is hard. Watching him grow up on pictures and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-marion/the-biggest-thing-is-having-a-son-i-got-attached-to-him-seeing-him/) [Shawn Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-marion/) > [Things don't really impress me. Memories impress me. It's not the toys, it's the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/things-don-t-really-impress-me-memories-impress-me-it-s-not-the-toys/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [In a relationship you should have one another's back no questions asked no strings attached I got you, you got me no mind games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-a-relationship-you-should-have-one-another-s-back-no-questions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Oh, how people love to disappear from your life. Especially when you already got attached to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/oh-how-people-love-to-disappear-from-your-life-especially-when-you/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“You named the chicken, Chicken?" She looked embarrassed. "When we decided not to kill it, I got attached.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-garvis-graves/you-named-the-chicken-chicken-she-looked-embarrassed-when-we-decided/) [Tracey Garvis-Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-garvis-graves/) > [My whole thing is being a coach, a GM, and a president: you all got to be attached at the hip. There's got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-brown/my-whole-thing-is-being-a-coach-a-gm-and-a-president-you-all-got-to/) [Larry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-brown/) > [I get emotionally attached to someone if I talk to them on the street corner for five minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-get-emotionally-attached-to-someone-if-i-talk-to-them-on-the-street/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [“When you think it is you who are doing something, that is when you get attached to how it all works out in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-viljoen/when-you-think-it-is-you-who-are-doing-something-that-is-when-you-get/) [Edward Viljoen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-viljoen/) > [I definitely feel more attached to Kolkata than anywhere else in India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-guha/i-definitely-feel-more-attached-to-kolkata-than-anywhere-else-in-india/) [Isa Guha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-guha/) > [I don't want to get attached to anyone anymore. It only destroys me in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-get-attached-to-anyone-anymore-it-only-destroys-me-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For the creator must be a world for himself, and find everything within himself, and in Nature to which he has attached himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/for-the-creator-must-be-a-world-for-himself-and-find-everything/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“Sometimes, we are so attached to our way of life that we turn down a wonderful opportunity simply because we don't know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/sometimes-we-are-so-attached-to-our-way-of-life-that-we-turn-down-a/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“With no name attached to it, the place somehow declared itself nowhere and everywhere at the same time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-p-knave/with-no-name-attached-to-it-the-place-somehow-declared-itself-nowhere/) [Adam P. Knave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-p-knave/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) ## More by Barbara Elsborg > [“ 'I don't remember if I thanked you for saving me,' he said. 'So thank you.' 'You're welcome.' 'Though after this morning, I've added…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/i-don-t-remember-if-i-thanked-you-for-saving-me-he-said-so-thank-you/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“You have some lovely books," she said. "I like the one with the pictures of polar bears." "The books with words too tricky?" She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/you-have-some-lovely-books-she-said-i-like-the-one-with-the-pictures/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“You know why doctors slap babies on the bottom when they're born? So the dicks fall off the smart ones." He laughed. "You know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/you-know-why-doctors-slap-babies-on-the-bottom-when-they-re-born-so/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“ 'A hundred and seventy two multiplied by thirteen,' Tyler gasped. 'Two thousand two hundred and thirty six.' 'You're not supposed to bloody tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/a-hundred-and-seventy-two-multiplied-by-thirteen-tyler-gasped-two/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“ 'How long do you want me to stay in there so you can talk about me behind my back?' Zak called. 'A couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/how-long-do-you-want-me-to-stay-in-there-so-you-can-talk-about-me/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“Books to read. Bitches to push out of the door.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/books-to-read-bitches-to-push-out-of-the-door/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“She wasn't fit to be a member of society. Her mind was a running sewer. The raunchiest teenager didn't think about sex as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/she-wasn-t-fit-to-be-a-member-of-society-her-mind-was-a-running-sewer/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“The moment he felt well enough to walk any distance, he was out of here and flying to someplace hot. Hopefully not hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/the-moment-he-felt-well-enough-to-walk-any-distance-he-was-out-of/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“...do me the very great honor of becoming...the person who'll cook me lovely things to eat, who'll cheer me up when I'm miserable, who'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/do-me-the-very-great-honor-of-becoming-the-person-who-ll-cook-me/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“Look at me, Kate." She raised her eyes to his. "What do you see?" She thought for a moment. "You've got a spot." Charlie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/look-at-me-kate-she-raised-her-eyes-to-his-what-do-you-see-she/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“The higher up I hold it, the less painful the hot wax.”…“Try hanging off the ceiling and dropping it from there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/the-higher-up-i-hold-it-the-less-painful-the-hot-wax-try-hanging-off/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“Don't you watch any cop shows?" Logan asked. "You're supposed to wait until I've made sure there are no guys with submachine guns and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/don-t-you-watch-any-cop-shows-logan-asked-you-re-supposed-to-wait/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“You hurt me more than that bullet. Not by lying about who you were but by not coming to see me. You’re supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/you-hurt-me-more-than-that-bullet-not-by-lying-about-who-you-were-but/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“While you let those scars affect what you do, you’re allowing your punishment to continue. It’s done. You need to move on. Shit, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/while-you-let-those-scars-affect-what-you-do-you-re-allowing-your/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“The power that was your father's." He looked at her bewildered face. "To get it, I need to take you away." "Where to?" "A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/the-power-that-was-your-father-s-he-looked-at-her-bewildered-face-to/) [barbara elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) [Explore all 50 Barbara Elsborg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) ## More Attached quotes > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“With no name attached to it, the place somehow declared itself nowhere and everywhere at the same time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-p-knave/with-no-name-attached-to-it-the-place-somehow-declared-itself-nowhere/) [Adam P. Knave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-p-knave/) > [“Sometimes, we are so attached to our way of life that we turn down a wonderful opportunity simply because we don't know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/sometimes-we-are-so-attached-to-our-way-of-life-that-we-turn-down-a/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“For the creator must be a world for himself, and find everything within himself, and in Nature to which he has attached himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/for-the-creator-must-be-a-world-for-himself-and-find-everything/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [I don't want to get attached to anyone anymore. It only destroys me in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-get-attached-to-anyone-anymore-it-only-destroys-me-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I definitely feel more attached to Kolkata than anywhere else in India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-guha/i-definitely-feel-more-attached-to-kolkata-than-anywhere-else-in-india/) [Isa Guha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-guha/) > [“When you think it is you who are doing something, that is when you get attached to how it all works out in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-viljoen/when-you-think-it-is-you-who-are-doing-something-that-is-when-you-get/) [Edward Viljoen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-viljoen/) > [I get emotionally attached to someone if I talk to them on the street corner for five minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-get-emotionally-attached-to-someone-if-i-talk-to-them-on-the-street/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [People always leave as soon as you get attached.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-always-leave-as-soon-as-you-get-attached/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I farm - there is something visceral about being attached to the land. I am a recording engineer. I do my own laundry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-lerner/i-farm-there-is-something-visceral-about-being-attached-to-the-land-i/) [Sandra Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-lerner/) > [The problem with getting attached to someone: When they leave, you just feel lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-problem-with-getting-attached-to-someone-when-they-leave-you-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/when-one-tugs-at-a-single-thing-in-nature-he-finds-it-attached-to-the/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [I'm a big advocate of a work-for-pay setup rather than an allowance that isn't attached to chores - it's a great way to impart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-m-a-big-advocate-of-a-work-for-pay-setup-rather-than-an-allowance/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [The longer we stay in Hell, the more we become attached to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-longer-we-stay-in-hell-the-more-we-become-attached-to-it/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I'm very attached to my family and protective of them and miss them, and that situation, my connection with that can make me become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cliff/i-m-very-attached-to-my-family-and-protective-of-them-and-miss-them/) [Jimmy Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cliff/) [Browse all 425 Attached quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attached/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Better not to have anything. Not even love. If you got attached to something, it only got taken away. Child or adult. Toys or people. 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