Love Quote by C.S. Lewis
““All this is flashy rhetoric about loving you. I never had a selfless thought since I was born. I am mercenary and self-seeking through and through: I want God, you, all friends, merely to serve my turn. Peace, re-assurance, pleasure, are the goals I seek, I cannot crawl one inch outside my proper skin: I talk of love --a scholar's parrot may talk Greek-- But, self-imprisoned, always end where I begin. Only that now you have taught me (but how late) my lack. I see the chasm. And everything you are was making My heart into a bridge by which I might get back From exile, and grow man. And now the bridge is breaking. For this I bless you as the ruin falls. The pains You give me are more precious than all other gains.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis, 1946
The speaker confesses selfish motives, recognizing love as a bridge to self‑growth, yet feels the relationship is collapsing, valuing the pain it brings as a catalyst for transformation.
In simple terms: Selfishness revealed, love as a bridge, pain as growth.
Key Takeaway
Embrace pain as a teacher.
Themes
self-awareness
spirituality
relationships
Mood
conflicted
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- spiritual crisis
- relationship breakdown
Key Concepts
redemption
human frailty
self‑deception
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you turn selfish desire into genuine love?
- What does the “bridge” symbolize in your life?
A Different Perspective
Pain may not always lead to growth; selfish motives can persist.
