Dreams Quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
““Active love is a harsh and fearful thing compared with love in dreams. Love in dreams thirsts for immediate action, quickly performed, and with everyone watching. Indeed, it will go as far as the giving even of one's life, provided it does not take long but is soon over, as on stage, and everyone is looking on and praising. Whereas active love is labor and perseverance, and for some people, perhaps, a whole science...in that very moment when you see with horror that despite all your efforts, you not only have not come nearer your goal but seem to have gotten farther from it, at that very moment...you will suddenly reach your goal and will clearly behold over you the wonder-working power of the Lord, who all the while has been loving you, and all the while has been mysteriously guiding you.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Demons (The Possessed) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, 1872
Active love demands hard work and perseverance, unlike idealized love that seeks quick, dramatic gestures.
In simple terms: Real love is effortful, not fleeting.
Key Takeaway
Embrace perseverance in love.
Themes
love
perseverance
spirituality
effort
faith
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- relationships
- spiritual growth
- personal crises
- long‑term projects
Key Concepts
existentialism
theology
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you sustain love through hardship?
- What role does faith play in enduring love?
A Different Perspective
Idealized love can create unrealistic expectations that hinder genuine connection.
![“if [God] doesn't exist, man is the chief of the earth, of the universe. Magnificent! Only how is he going to be good without God?” quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/09b/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_ethics_if-god-doesn-t-exist-man-is-the-chief-of_16023.jpg)
