--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By love, she probably meant she would die…" description: "\"“By love, she probably meant she would die without being in love. By in love, she meant the acuteness of the heart at the sudden sight of a particular ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/grace-paley-3243_friendship_by-love-she-probably-meant-she-would-die_325071.jpg" --- # By love, she probably meant she would die without being in… ![“By love, she probably meant she would die without being in love. By in love, she meant the acuteness of the heart at the sudden sight of a particular person or the way over a couple of years of interested friendship one is suddenly stunned by the lungs’ longing for more and more breath in the…” quote by Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/grace-paley-3243_friendship_by-love-she-probably-meant-she-would-die_325071.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/grace-paley-3243_friendship_by-love-she-probably-meant-she-would-die_325071.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/grace-paley-3243_friendship_by-love-she-probably-meant-she-would-die_325071.jpg) > ““By love, she probably meant she would die without being in love. By in love, she meant the acuteness of the heart at the sudden sight of a particular person or the way over a couple of years of interested friendship one is suddenly stunned by the lungs’ longing for more and more breath in the presence of that friend, or nearly drowned to the knees by the salty spring that seems to beat for years on our vaginal shores. Not to omit all sorts of imaginings which assure great spiritual energy for months and, when luck follows truth, years.”” [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love is portrayed as an intense, almost life‑or‑death feeling that can overwhelm and sustain a person through longing and connection. **In simple terms:** Love feels like a vital, overwhelming force. Key Takeaway Embrace love’s intensity, but stay grounded. Themes love longing spiritual energy friendship desire Mood passionate reflective Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - romantic relationships - deep friendships - creative inspiration - personal growth Key Concepts emotional intensity spiritual yearning human connection Questions to Reflect On - How does love shape your sense of self? - What boundaries protect love from becoming overwhelming? A Different Perspective Love can become consuming and may lead to dependency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Meant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-meant/) [Love Probably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-probably-454147/) [Meant Acuteness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant-acuteness-3055214/) [Probably Meant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probably-meant-1648392/) [Spiritual energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-energy/) ## Related quotes > [I think 'E.T.' came along at a time when it was probably meant to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kennedy/i-think-e-t-came-along-at-a-time-when-it-was-probably-meant-to-be/) [Kathleen Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kennedy/) > [You and I were probably never meant to be but I loved every minute of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/you-and-i-were-probably-never-meant-to-be-but-i-loved-every-minute-of/) [Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/) > [“I thought that probably meant something - that we could only really look at each other through a looking glass. 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Cross moats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathie-pelletier/but-harry-knew-now-that-love-was-a-soldier-it-can-invade-the-human/) [Cathie Pelletier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathie-pelletier/) > [“And I have no intention of going out with him just because he's "in love" with me. Which he's probably not. Because why would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-rozett/and-i-have-no-intention-of-going-out-with-him-just-because-he-s-in/) [Louise Rozett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-rozett/) > [“Even after all the hurt and the pain, I still love you so much. Probably too much for someone my age. I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siobhan-davis/even-after-all-the-hurt-and-the-pain-i-still-love-you-so-much/) [Siobhan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siobhan-davis/) > [If someone loves you, they can fall out of love with you but they're probably going to keep fearing you. That's where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shilling/if-someone-loves-you-they-can-fall-out-of-love-with-you-but-they-re/) [Gary Shilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shilling/) > [If I ever asked you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked a woman and been totally vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/if-i-ever-asked-you-about-love-you-d-probably-quote-me-a-sonnet-but/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [“When you truly love someone, you could probably forgive them just about anything.” ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-e-ross/when-you-truly-love-someone-you-could-probably-forgive-them-just/) [Ana E. Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-e-ross/) > [Just the fact that you need me to prove I love you is probably a clue it isn’t working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/just-the-fact-that-you-need-me-to-prove-i-love-you-is-probably-a-clue/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [“We had an unspoken love for one another. Probably because she’d never talk to me or return my phone calls or texts. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dark-jar-tin-zoo/we-had-an-unspoken-love-for-one-another-probably-because-she-d-never/) [Dark Jar Tin Zoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dark-jar-tin-zoo/) > [When u are in love u probably goes through two suitation heavenly life death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aj/when-u-are-in-love-u-probably-goes-through-two-suitation-heavenly/) [AJ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aj/) > [Those who are the hardest for me to love are probably those who need my love the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cartwright/those-who-are-the-hardest-for-me-to-love-are-probably-those-who-need/) [William Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cartwright/) ## More by Grace Paley > [The only recognizable feature of hope is action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/the-only-recognizable-feature-of-hope-is-action/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [“Near home I ran through our park, where I had aired my children on weekends and late-summer afternoons. I stopped at the northeast playground,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/near-home-i-ran-through-our-park-where-i-had-aired-my-children-on/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [Old age is not a good thing. It can be really hard, and those of us who have it a little easier should keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/old-age-is-not-a-good-thing-it-can-be-really-hard-and-those-of-us-who/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [Well, by now you must know yourself, honey, whatever you do, life don't stop. 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I might discover the lie of trying to show off. Sometimes they’re lies of character. Sometimes they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/i-go-through-a-story-for-lies-i-might-discover-the-lie-of-trying-to/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [I didn't intend. The word "intend" is the wrong word for what I do. It's just that it's something you do, and you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/i-didn-t-intend-the-word-intend-is-the-wrong-word-for-what-i-do-it-s/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [“... plot, the absolute line between two points which I've always despised. Not for literary reasons, but because it takes all hope away. Everyone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/plot-the-absolute-line-between-two-points-which-i-ve-always-despised/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [You come to doing what you do by not being able to do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/you-come-to-doing-what-you-do-by-not-being-able-to-do-something/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [When I was about twenty-one, I published a few poems. Maybe I wrote a couple of stories before, but I really began to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/when-i-was-about-twenty-one-i-published-a-few-poems-maybe-i-wrote-a/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) [Explore all 135 Grace Paley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) ## More Friendship quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) [Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) [Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. 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