---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Marriage is what happens \"between the…"
description: "\"“Marriage is what happens \"between the memorable.\" He said that we often look back on our marriages years later, perhaps after one spouse has died, and..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/elizabeth-gilbert-131_marriage_marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-mem_2979807.jpg"
---

#  Marriage is what happens "between the memorable." He said…

![“Marriage is what happens &quot;between the memorable.&quot; He said that we often look back on our marriages years later, perhaps after one spouse has died, and wall we can recall are &quot;the vacations, and emergencies&quot; - the high points and low points. The rest of it blends into a blurry sort of daily…” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/elizabeth-gilbert-131_marriage_marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-mem_2979807.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/elizabeth-gilbert-131_marriage_marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-mem_2979807.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/elizabeth-gilbert-131_marriage_marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-mem_2979807.jpg)

> ““Marriage is what happens "between the memorable." He said that we often look back on our marriages years later, perhaps after one spouse has died, and wall we can recall are "the vacations, and emergencies" - the high points and low points. The rest of it blends into a blurry sort of daily sameness. But it is that very blurred sameness, the poet argues, that comprises marriage. Marriage is those two thousand indistinguishable conversations, chatted over two thousand indistinguishable breakfasts, where intimacy turns like a slow wheel. How do you measure the worth of becoming that familiar to somebody- so utterly well known and so thoroughly ever-present, that you become an almost invisible necessity, like air?””

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Marriage is a blend of extraordinary moments and everyday sameness, where familiarity becomes essential and intimate, like air, despite its subtlety.

**In simple terms:** Marriage mixes high points with daily routine, becoming essential.

Key Takeaway

Value the quiet, familiar moments in relationships.

Themes

marriage intimacy familiarity

Mood

nostalgic thoughtful

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- relationship counseling
- marital milestones
- family life

Key Concepts

daily routines shared experiences long‑term partnership

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you keep daily life fresh?
- When does familiarity become complacency?

A Different Perspective

The “blurry sameness” can feel stagnant for some couples.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comprises Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comprises-marriage-4629173/) [Look Marriages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-marriages-4629171/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Marriage Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage-happens-2454222/) [Marriage Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage-thousand-3914971/) [Marriages Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriages-years-4629172/) [Well known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-known/)

## Related quotes

> [Marriage is those two thousand indistinguishable conversations, chatted over two thousand indistuinguishable breakfasts, where intimacy turns like a slow wheel. How do you measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/marriage-is-those-two-thousand-indistinguishable-conversations/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [Look at all the marriages that have been wonderfully successful where fellows finished their army service and came home to go to college on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marta-kristen/look-at-all-the-marriages-that-have-been-wonderfully-successful-where/)

[Marta Kristen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marta-kristen/)

> [When I look back on my marriages, or the breakups, sure I know the pain I went through, but that's part of life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-hayworth/when-i-look-back-on-my-marriages-or-the-breakups-sure-i-know-the-pain/)

[Rita Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-hayworth/)

> [I dont know whether Ill ever get married. Ive seen too many supposedly happy marriages go down. Ive been as shocked as anyone. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-dont-know-whether-ill-ever-get-married-ive-seen-too-many-supposedly/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [Attraction happens many times, Love happens sometimes, Marriage happens onetime, But a god friendship like ours happens very in life time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/move-on07/attraction-happens-many-times-love-happens-sometimes-marriage-happens/)

[Move-on07](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/move-on07/)

> [I am a very basic person. I still believe marriage happens only once, and you have to sustain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anushka-sharma/i-am-a-very-basic-person-i-still-believe-marriage-happens-only-once/)

[Anushka Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anushka-sharma/)

> [Marriage happens; it can't be planned. When it has to happen, it will happen. Normally, what we always believe is that however prepared you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rani-mukerji/marriage-happens-it-can-t-be-planned-when-it-has-to-happen-it-will/)

[Rani Mukerji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rani-mukerji/)

> [Marriage is what happens when one at least of the partners doesn't want the other to get away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/marriage-is-what-happens-when-one-at-least-of-the-partners-doesn-t/)

[Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/)

> [For an actor, personal and professional life are two different things, and marriage is something which happens in everyone's life, and it is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-pandit/for-an-actor-personal-and-professional-life-are-two-different-things/)

[Radhika Pandit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhika-pandit/)

> [ \[Marriage\] happens as with cages: the birds without despair to get in, and those within despair of getting out. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/marriage-happens-as-with-cages-the-birds-without-despair-to-get-in/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [Perhaps our own opposition to even the level of European integration we have now, let alone any more, is well known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/perhaps-our-own-opposition-to-even-the-level-of-european-integration/)

[Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/)

> [“A less well known impact of immigrant populations is the increase that destination states gain in Congress where apportionment of seats in the House…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-s-greenberg/a-less-well-known-impact-of-immigrant-populations-is-the-increase/)

[Edward S. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-s-greenberg/)

> [That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/that-prince-is-highly-esteemed-who-conveys-this-impression-of-himself/)

[Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/)

> [“He is a good man, but even a good man can fall for a glamorous woman. That is well known.” “That is very well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-is-a-good-man-but-even-a-good-man-can-fall-for-a-glamorous-woman/)

[Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/)

> [I was very lucky to get well known much later in life. You need to have flopped quite a few times to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-was-very-lucky-to-get-well-known-much-later-in-life-you-need-to/)

[George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/)

## More by Elizabeth Gilbert

> [That's your friend. My husband is my best friend. He's not the mirror that holds up my flaws. He's just the guy who's like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/that-s-your-friend-my-husband-is-my-best-friend-he-s-not-the-mirror/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [“Not to mention that I have finally arrived at that age where a woman starts to question whether the wisest way to get over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/not-to-mention-that-i-have-finally-arrived-at-that-age-where-a-woman/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [“The Buddha taught that all human suffering is rooted in desire. Don't we all know this to be true? Any of us who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-buddha-taught-that-all-human-suffering-is-rooted-in-desire-don-t/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [ “And while \[we\] do have possibilities that are vast and magnificent and almost infinite in scope, it's important to remember that our choice-rich lives… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/and-while-we-do-have-possibilities-that-are-vast-and-magnificent-and/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/learn-your-way-around-loneliness-make-a-map-of-it-sit-with-it-for/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [If we never leave our house except to drive to work, do we need to be even remotely aware of this powerful, humbling, extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/if-we-never-leave-our-house-except-to-drive-to-work-do-we-need-to-be/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. "We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-will-tell-you-why-we-have-these-extraordinary-minds-and-souls-miss/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [“Clearing out all your misery gets you out of the way. You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/clearing-out-all-your-misery-gets-you-out-of-the-way-you-cease-being/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [The ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,...The madness of this planet is largely a result of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-ingredients-of-both-darkness-and-light-are-equally-present-in-all/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-was-full-of-a-hot-powerful-sadness-and-would-have-loved-to-burst/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [“I live in nature where everything is connected, circular. The seasons are circular. The planet is circular, and so is the planet around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-live-in-nature-where-everything-is-connected-circular-the-seasons/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [“His spelling was several degrees beyond arbitrary, and his punctuation brought reason to sigh with unhappiness. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/his-spelling-was-several-degrees-beyond-arbitrary-and-his-punctuation/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [Before you realize this truth, say the Yogis, you will always be in despair, a notion nicely expressed in this exasperated line from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/before-you-realize-this-truth-say-the-yogis-you-will-always-be-in/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [I actually have a great deal of respect for antidepressants; I think they can be enormously mighty tools toward recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-actually-have-a-great-deal-of-respect-for-antidepressants-i-think/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

[Explore all 1,156 Elizabeth Gilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

## More Marriage quotes

> [Unmarried couples should get married - that's an excellent tax avoidance measure, if a bit drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whiting/unmarried-couples-should-get-married-that-s-an-excellent-tax/)

[John Whiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whiting/)

> [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/)

[Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/)

> [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/)

[Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/)

> [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/)

[James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/)

> [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [“Take an interest in his appearance. Keeping his clothes in order is your job; encouraging him to look his best, and admiring him when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-baker/take-an-interest-in-his-appearance-keeping-his-clothes-in-order-is/)

[Ellen Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-baker/)

> [Females always say, you can't turn a hoe into a house wife, but steady be trying to turn a dog into a faithful man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/females-always-say-you-can-t-turn-a-hoe-into-a-house-wife-but-steady/)

[Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/)

> [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/)

[William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/)

> [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/)

[Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/)

> [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/)

[Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/)

> [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/)

[Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/)

> [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/)

[H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/)

> [“His own parents, the estimable Gilchrists, a couple who had taken the 'till death' part of their own wedding vows so seriously he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-blake/his-own-parents-the-estimable-gilchrists-a-couple-who-had-taken-the/)

[Ally Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-blake/)

[Browse all 31,920 Marriage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Marriage is what happens \"between the memorable.\" He said that we often look back on our marriages years later, perhaps after one spouse has died, and wall we can recall are \"the vacations, and emergencies\" - the high points and low points. The rest of it blends into a blurry sort of daily sameness. But it is that very blurred sameness, the poet argues, that comprises marriage. Marriage is those two thousand indistinguishable conversations, chatted over two thousand indistinguishable breakfasts, where intimacy turns like a slow wheel. How do you measure the worth of becoming that familiar to somebody- so utterly well known and so thoroughly ever-present, that you become an almost invisible necessity, like air?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Elizabeth Gilbert"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-memorable-he-said-that-we-often/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Marriage"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-memorable-he-said-that-we-often/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/elizabeth-gilbert-131_marriage_marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-mem_2979807.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/elizabeth-gilbert-131_marriage_marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-mem_2979807.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/elizabeth-gilbert-131_marriage_marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-mem_2979807.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Marriage is what happens \"between the memorable.\" He said that we often look back on our marriages years…” — Elizabeth Gilbert",
                "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": "Elizabeth Gilbert",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Marriage is what happens \"between the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-memorable-he-said-that-we-often/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/marriage-is-what-happens-between-the-memorable-he-said-that-we-often/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
