--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you are in a relationship, you are…" description: "\"When you are in a relationship, you are aware that it might end. You might grow apart, find someone else, simply fall out of love. But a friendship isn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/emily-giffin-938_assuming_when-you-are-in-a-relationship-you-are-a_166737.jpg" --- # When you are in a relationship, you are aware that it… ![“When you are in a relationship, you are aware that it might end. You might grow apart, find someone else, simply fall out of love. But a friendship isn't a zero-sum game, and as such, you assume that it will last forever, especially an old friendship. You take its permanence for grandted, whuch…” quote by Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/emily-giffin-938_assuming_when-you-are-in-a-relationship-you-are-a_166737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/emily-giffin-938_assuming_when-you-are-in-a-relationship-you-are-a_166737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/emily-giffin-938_assuming_when-you-are-in-a-relationship-you-are-a_166737.jpg) > “When you are in a relationship, you are aware that it might end. You might grow apart, find someone else, simply fall out of love. But a friendship isn't a zero-sum game, and as such, you assume that it will last forever, especially an old friendship. You take its permanence for grandted, whuch might be the very thing so dear about it.” [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relationships are finite and changeable, but friendships are often assumed to be permanent, which can make their perceived stability a cherished yet fragile asset. **In simple terms:** Friendships feel lasting, but they can change like any relationship. Key Takeaway Recognize that all bonds evolve; cherish them without assuming permanence. Themes relationships friendship impermanence trust expectations Mood reflective nostalgic cautious Type philosophical advisory emotional When to use this quote - long‑term friendships - aging families - alumni networks - workplace camaraderie Key Concepts attachment theory social bonds psychology of expectations Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance appreciation of a friendship with acceptance of its possible change? - What signs indicate a friendship is evolving? A Different Perspective Assuming permanence may lead to disappointment when change occurs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fall out of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-out-of-love/) [Falling in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-in-love/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Old friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-friendship/) [Permanence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanence/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Zero sum game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zero-sum-game/) ## Related quotes > [“I wonder why I miss her and Dex does not. Perhaps it is because I've known her so much longer. Or maybe it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-wonder-why-i-miss-her-and-dex-does-not-perhaps-it-is-because-i-ve/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“But friendship isn't one of life's little luxuries. It's a necessity. To go through the world without the closest of friends is like walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-r-virdi/but-friendship-isn-t-one-of-life-s-little-luxuries-it-s-a-necessity/) R.R. Virdi > [Love and friendship. They are what make us who we are, and what can change us, if we let them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/love-and-friendship-they-are-what-make-us-who-we-are-and-what-can/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [As everyone applauds and sips champagne, I smile back at Rachel, thinking she got it just right. Love and friendship. They are what makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/as-everyone-applauds-and-sips-champagne-i-smile-back-at-rachel/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [Getting back an old friendship is the greatest thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-back-an-old-friendship-is-the-greatest-thing-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The cracks in old friendships are measured in awkward pauses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darin-strauss/the-cracks-in-old-friendships-are-measured-in-awkward-pauses/) [Darin Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darin-strauss/) > [My wife, Nancy, and I like to meet new people, renew old friendships and accept new challenges. At home we like to have small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/my-wife-nancy-and-i-like-to-meet-new-people-renew-old-friendships-and/) [Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/) > [I just want the old friendship back. Nothing else, nothing more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-want-the-old-friendship-back-nothing-else-nothing-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Old friendships are like meats served up repeatedly, cold, comfortless, and distasteful. The stomach turns against them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/old-friendships-are-like-meats-served-up-repeatedly-cold-comfortless/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [I'm convinced true fulfillment is living in God's world one day at a time, savoring it, leaving today's disapointments behind and borrowing no troubles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olive-ann-burns/i-m-convinced-true-fulfillment-is-living-in-god-s-world-one-day-at-a/) [Olive Ann Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olive-ann-burns/) > [I miss our old friendship. But I guess you don't...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-miss-our-old-friendship-but-i-guess-you-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ever have that feeling that an old friendship is slipping away...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ever-have-that-feeling-that-an-old-friendship-is-slipping-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My criticisms of late-night TV blew up some old friendships and sparked some new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/my-criticisms-of-late-night-tv-blew-up-some-old-friendships-and/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [Someone times I miss our old friendship...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-times-i-miss-our-old-friendship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's good to hear from people you haven't talked to in a while. Really makes you wish you woulda valued and old friendship more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-good-to-hear-from-people-you-haven-t-talked-to-in-a-while-really/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Emily Giffin > [I try to have something in common with my protagonists, especially when I'm writing in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-have-something-in-common-with-my-protagonists-especially/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I think exercise is critical to my writing and an essential way to recharge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-think-exercise-is-critical-to-my-writing-and-an-essential-way-to/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“Grab his penis like this, and I guarantee, it’s a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/grab-his-penis-like-this-and-i-guarantee-it-s-a-done-deal/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“Well, anyway… it’s over,” I say, realizing that those two words lump me right in with a hoard of naive women who say it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/well-anyway-it-s-over-i-say-realizing-that-those-two-words-lump-me/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [There are two kinds of sorry. There is the sorry imbued with regret. And a pure sorry. The kind that is merely asking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/there-are-two-kinds-of-sorry-there-is-the-sorry-imbued-with-regret/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [Throw in the intensity of emotions that come with that bittersweet summer sandwiched between high school graduation and the rest of your life...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/throw-in-the-intensity-of-emotions-that-come-with-that-bittersweet/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“You can never be too sure when it comes to things that matter most”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/you-can-never-be-too-sure-when-it-comes-to-things-that-matter-most/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“It occurs to me that she is not unique--that all women compare lives. We are aware of whose husband works more, who helps more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/it-occurs-to-me-that-she-is-not-unique-that-all-women-compare-lives/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“I desperately want to feel that way again. To be in a relationship that I’m not trying to script or water down. It’s about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-desperately-want-to-feel-that-way-again-to-be-in-a-relationship/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I always find something in common with my protagonist, particularly when I write in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-always-find-something-in-common-with-my-protagonist-particularly/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [There is no grief like heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/there-is-no-grief-like-heartbreak/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I find my voice and manage to say those three one-syllable words back to him. Words I haven't uttered in a very, very long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-find-my-voice-and-manage-to-say-those-three-one-syllable-words-back/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [i wish i could freeze this moment, somehow delay my final decision, and just hang here in the balance between two places, two worlds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-wish-i-could-freeze-this-moment-somehow-delay-my-final-decision-and/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I try to write about real women, real people - in other words flawed characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-write-about-real-women-real-people-in-other-words-flawed/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“never had a good gut feeling. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t have faith in my team, but that I maintained the truest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/never-had-a-good-gut-feeling-it-wasn-t-so-much-that-i-didn-t-have/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) [Explore all 324 Emily Giffin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you are in a relationship, you are aware that it might end. You might grow apart, find someone else, simply fall out of love. But a friendship isn't a zero-sum game, and as such, you assume that it will last forever, especially an old friendship. 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