--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What must love itself in its fullness…" description: "\"“What must love itself in its fullness, its perfection be. He did not know that what he was experiencing then, that unreal, undesirous medley of ecstas..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_ecstasy_what-must-love-itself-in-its-fullness-it_926024.jpg" --- # What must love itself in its fullness, its perfection be… ![“What must love itself in its fullness, its perfection be. He did not know that what he was experiencing then, that unreal, undesirous medley of ecstasy and peace, would be unrecapturable forever.” quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_ecstasy_what-must-love-itself-in-its-fullness-it_926024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_ecstasy_what-must-love-itself-in-its-fullness-it_926024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_ecstasy_what-must-love-itself-in-its-fullness-it_926024.jpg) > ““What must love itself in its fullness, its perfection be. He did not know that what he was experiencing then, that unreal, undesirous medley of ecstasy and peace, would be unrecapturable forever.”” [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love seeks perfection, yet its fleeting ecstasy and peace become forever unattainable. **In simple terms:** Love’s ideal is impossible to fully capture. Key Takeaway Accept love’s imperfection. Themes love idealism loss Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - artistic creation - personal reflection Key Concepts romanticism existential longing Questions to Reflect On - How do we reconcile love’s imperfections with our desires? - What does “unrecapturable” mean for personal growth? A Different Perspective Idealizing love can cause chronic dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ecstasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecstasy/) [F-scott-fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) ## Related quotes > [A single face turned upward toward all Time One flesh, one ecstasy, one peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/a-single-face-turned-upward-toward-all-time-one-flesh-one-ecstasy-one/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Each of us seeks peace of mind, but we sometimes fear that it means giving up excitement and ecstasy. Peace sounds like contentment, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/each-of-us-seeks-peace-of-mind-but-we-sometimes-fear-that-it-means/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) > [“In the struggle to remain a complete person and to love from her fullness instead of her inadequacy a woman may appear hard. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/in-the-struggle-to-remain-a-complete-person-and-to-love-from-her/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“This much remains: we come from love and we return to love, to a fullness that needs no name and yet fills all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-skyes/this-much-remains-we-come-from-love-and-we-return-to-love-to-a/) [Alyssa Skyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-skyes/) > [“I come to understand that for most of my life, when I was looking for love, I was looking to be loved. In this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-tippett/i-come-to-understand-that-for-most-of-my-life-when-i-was-looking-for/) [Krista Tippett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krista-tippett/) > [“My whole theory of writing I can sum up in one sentence. An author ought to write for the youth of his own generation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/my-whole-theory-of-writing-i-can-sum-up-in-one-sentence-an-author/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Daddy's girl. Was it a 'itty-bitty bravekins and did it suffer? Oooooo-tweet, de tweetest thing, wasn't she dest too tweet? Before her tiny fist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/daddy-s-girl-was-it-a-itty-bitty-bravekins-and-did-it-suffer-oooooo/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Always, after he was in bed, there were voices - indefinite, fading, enchanting - just outside his window, and before he fell asleep he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/always-after-he-was-in-bed-there-were-voices-indefinite-fading/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“I used to wonder why they kept princesses in towers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-used-to-wonder-why-they-kept-princesses-in-towers/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“An idea ran backward and forward in his head like a blind man, knocking over the solid furniture.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/an-idea-ran-backward-and-forward-in-his-head-like-a-blind-man/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“But Amory, being on the spot, leaned over quickly and kissed Myra’s cheek. He had never kissed a girl before, and he tasted his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/but-amory-being-on-the-spot-leaned-over-quickly-and-kissed-myra-s/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Good luck to you and bad luck to your theories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/good-luck-to-you-and-bad-luck-to-your-theories/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“He seduces her because she is slipping away - she lets herself be seduced because of overwhelming admiration. Once settled, it is sensual, breathless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/he-seduces-her-because-she-is-slipping-away-she-lets-herself-be/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“I want you to lie to me just as sweetly as you know how for the rest of my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-you-to-lie-to-me-just-as-sweetly-as-you-know-how-for-the-rest/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Deepest of all in her personality was the golden radiance that she diffused around her. As an open fire in a dark room throws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/deepest-of-all-in-her-personality-was-the-golden-radiance-that-she/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## More by F. Scott Fitzgerald > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“There was a ripe mystery about it, a hint of bedrooms upstairs more beautiful and cool than other bedrooms, of gay and radiant activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/there-was-a-ripe-mystery-about-it-a-hint-of-bedrooms-upstairs-more/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I want you to take a red-hot bath as hot as you can bear it, and just relax your nerves. You can read in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-you-to-take-a-red-hot-bath-as-hot-as-you-can-bear-it-and-just/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Tireless passion, fierce jealousy, longing to possess and crush-these alone were left of all his love for Rosalind; these remained to him as payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/tireless-passion-fierce-jealousy-longing-to-possess-and-crush-these/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I found something! Courage--just that; courage as a rule of life and something to cling to always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-found-something-courage-just-that-courage-as-a-rule-of-life-and/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Life is a series of successful gestures...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/life-is-a-series-of-successful-gestures/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Another dawn flung itself across the river; a belated taxi hurried along the street, its lamps still shining like burning eyes in a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/another-dawn-flung-itself-across-the-river-a-belated-taxi-hurried/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“She plucked a twig and broke it, but she found no spring in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/she-plucked-a-twig-and-broke-it-but-she-found-no-spring-in-it/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“I'm one of those people who go through the world giving other people thrills but getting few myself except those I read into men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-go-through-the-world-giving-other-people/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened arteries spread across a poisoned sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-montana-sunset-lay-between-the-mountains-like-a-giant-bruise-from/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“You loved me too?" he repeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-loved-me-too-he-repeated/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“He was good looking, "sort of distinguished when he wants to be", had a line, and was properly inconstant. In fact, he summed up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/he-was-good-looking-sort-of-distinguished-when-he-wants-to-be-had-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [What are you going to do? "Can't say - run for president, write -" "Greenwich Village?" "Good heavens, no - I said write -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-are-you-going-to-do-can-t-say-run-for-president-write-greenwich/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“The latter was considered a good fellow and a fine leader, until a year later, when he disappeared with a mess fund of eleven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-latter-was-considered-a-good-fellow-and-a-fine-leader-until-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-eluded-us-then-but-that-s-no-matter-tomorrow-we-will-run-faster/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Explore all 1,568 F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## More Ecstasy quotes > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [“Haunted by the longing to feel something real, deep and magical; I searched for a shared ecstasy... that's when you came along.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/haunted-by-the-longing-to-feel-something-real-deep-and-magical-i/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [ “Ecstasy is a glass full of tea and a piece of sugar in the mouth." \[From: 19 Lessons On Tea\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/ecstasy-is-a-glass-full-of-tea-and-a-piece-of-sugar-in-the-mouth-from/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [“Human milk is like ice cream, penicillin, and the drug ecstasy all wrapped up in two pretty packages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-williams/human-milk-is-like-ice-cream-penicillin-and-the-drug-ecstasy-all/) [Florence Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-williams/) > [The highest ecstasy is the attention at its fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-highest-ecstasy-is-the-attention-at-its-fullest/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > ['Born This Way' is shaping up to be creative ecstasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurieann-gibson/born-this-way-is-shaping-up-to-be-creative-ecstasy/) [Laurieann Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurieann-gibson/) > [Beauty is not a need but an ecstasy. It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth, But rather a heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/beauty-is-not-a-need-but-an-ecstasy-it-is-not-a-mouth-thirsting-nor/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [If a person measures his spiritual fulfillment in terms of cosmic visions, surpassing peace of mind, or ecstasy, then he is not likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/if-a-person-measures-his-spiritual-fulfillment-in-terms-of-cosmic/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [People tend to link "sex and drugs" because both are condemned by society. Nevertheless, throughout the ages human beings have continually searched for more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-doblin/people-tend-to-link-sex-and-drugs-because-both-are-condemned-by/) [Rick Doblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-doblin/) > [I revere the memory of Mr. F. as an estimable man and most indulgent husband, only necessary to mention Asparagus and it appeared or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-revere-the-memory-of-mr-f-as-an-estimable-man-and-most-indulgent/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“It is the capacity to feel consuming grief and pain and despair that also allows me to embrace love and joy and beauty with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-white/it-is-the-capacity-to-feel-consuming-grief-and-pain-and-despair-that/) [Anna White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-white/) > [When you meditate you feel joy, harmony, peace, stillness, ecstasy, laughter, certainty, courage, strength, awareness and immortality. In the beginning you will feel these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-you-meditate-you-feel-joy-harmony-peace-stillness-ecstasy/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Art is the communication of ecstasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/art-is-the-communication-of-ecstasy/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Holidays are in no sense an alternative to the congestion and bustle of the cities and work. Quite the contrary. People look to escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/holidays-are-in-no-sense-an-alternative-to-the-congestion-and-bustle/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) [Browse all 735 Ecstasy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecstasy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What must love itself in its fullness, its perfection be. 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