--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was two people who remained together…" description: "\"“It was two people who remained together, day after day, bound not by sex or physical attraction or money or children or property, but only by the shar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/hanya-yanagihara-4245_children_it-was-two-people-who-remained-together_1274370.jpg" --- # It was two people who remained together, day after day… ![“It was two people who remained together, day after day, bound not by sex or physical attraction or money or children or property, but only by the shared agreement to keep going, the mutual dedication to a union that could never be codified. Friendship was witnessing another's slow drip of…” quote by Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/hanya-yanagihara-4245_children_it-was-two-people-who-remained-together_1274370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/hanya-yanagihara-4245_children_it-was-two-people-who-remained-together_1274370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/hanya-yanagihara-4245_children_it-was-two-people-who-remained-together_1274370.jpg) > ““It was two people who remained together, day after day, bound not by sex or physical attraction or money or children or property, but only by the shared agreement to keep going, the mutual dedication to a union that could never be codified. Friendship was witnessing another's slow drip of miseries, and long bouts of boredom, and occasional triumphs. It was feeling honored by the privilege of getting to be present for another person's most dismal moments, and knowing that you could be dismal around him in return.”” [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deep bonds can exist without romance or material ties, rooted in mutual commitment and shared hardship. **In simple terms:** Friendship can be a profound, non‑romantic partnership. Key Takeaway Value and nurture steadfast, selfless friendships. Themes friendship commitment shared hardship non‑romantic love Mood reflective empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - caregiving - support during illness - long‑term companionship - navigating boredom Key Concepts existential solidarity emotional labor psychological resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance support with self‑care? - When does devotion become self‑sacrifice? A Different Perspective Friendship can become codependent or draining without boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Physical attraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-attraction/) ## Related quotes > [“After the long time of going together and the mutual trust that had grown out of that time, Payne had occasion to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mcguane/after-the-long-time-of-going-together-and-the-mutual-trust-that-had/) [Thomas McGuane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mcguane/) > [“Love is a journey from the first blush of physical attraction to a marriage of souls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-henley/love-is-a-journey-from-the-first-blush-of-physical-attraction-to-a/) [Virginia Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-henley/) > [“Though her grasp of English was modest and his Italian non-existent, their rapport was at once intuitive and intimate, founded more on physical attraction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-radcliffe/though-her-grasp-of-english-was-modest-and-his-italian-non-existent/) Robert Radcliffe > [It's not that physical attraction that makes you love a person. It's actually the magical connection between your heart and his heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/it-s-not-that-physical-attraction-that-makes-you-love-a-person-it-s/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [It felt good doing a physical job, and going home each evening feeling like I had really done a day's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/it-felt-good-doing-a-physical-job-and-going-home-each-evening-feeling/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [Physical attraction that strong is addictive. And knowing that kind of magic isn’t just a fantasy makes me want to find it again. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/physical-attraction-that-strong-is-addictive-and-knowing-that-kind-of/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [“My love for a child will be greater than my love for an adult because it is a singular love that isn’t based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/my-love-for-a-child-will-be-greater-than-my-love-for-an-adult-because/) [Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/) > [I believe it was Shakespeare, or possibly Howard Cosell, who first observed that marriage is very much like a birthday candle, in that 'the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/i-believe-it-was-shakespeare-or-possibly-howard-cosell-who-first/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“ Courting and Friendship Reciprocals Reciprocals are the signals people give each other to indicate an interest in companionship. When there is physical attraction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-berent/courting-and-friendship-reciprocals-reciprocals-are-the-signals/) [Jonathan Berent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-berent/) > [Mistakes are often made when people dont apply the brakes but do allow emotions, lust, and physical attraction to be their guide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/mistakes-are-often-made-when-people-dont-apply-the-brakes-but-do/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [Sex is activated by physical attraction. Love is felt by emotional reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-chad-iii/sex-is-activated-by-physical-attraction-love-is-felt-by-emotional/) [Prince Chad III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-chad-iii/) > [“If your heart’s no’ engaged in your marriage, then ye shouldna be averse to a wee bit of lust outside of it,” he said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-mason/if-your-heart-s-no-engaged-in-your-marriage-then-ye-shouldna-be/) [Connie Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-mason/) > [“OLIVIA DIDN’T WANT TO SEE SIMON. She didn’t know how to deal with what she felt. It was raw physical attraction with no emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-delinsky/olivia-didn-t-want-to-see-simon-she-didn-t-know-how-to-deal-with-what/) [Barbara Delinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-delinsky/) > [“Romantic love, I think, requires a degree of physical attraction, but devotion is needed to maintain it as an actual relationship. Physical attraction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-n-blount/romantic-love-i-think-requires-a-degree-of-physical-attraction-but/) [Angela N. Blount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-n-blount/) > [“It was more than physical attraction; it was the broken thing inside him she loved most of all, the unreachable place where he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/it-was-more-than-physical-attraction-it-was-the-broken-thing-inside/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) ## More by Hanya Yanagihara > [“People who don’t love math always accuse mathematicians of trying to make math complicated,” Dr. Li had said. “But anyone who does love math…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/people-who-don-t-love-math-always-accuse-mathematicians-of-trying-to/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [“At night, as beneath him his parents completed their routines, the banging of the old pipes as they washed their faces and the sudden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/at-night-as-beneath-him-his-parents-completed-their-routines-the/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [To be a scientist you have to be willing to live with uncertainty for a long time. Research scientists begin with a question and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/to-be-a-scientist-you-have-to-be-willing-to-live-with-uncertainty-for/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [“Why wasn’t friendship as good as a relationship? Why wasn’t it even better?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/why-wasn-t-friendship-as-good-as-a-relationship-why-wasn-t-it-even/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [“But fairness is not the only, or even the most important, consideration in law: the law is not always fair. 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I don't think that genius goes hand in hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/the-big-characters-who-occupy-science-especially-modern-science-are/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [“Sometimes I would have to take my glasses off simply so the world would smudge and recede for a moment and cease to seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/sometimes-i-would-have-to-take-my-glasses-off-simply-so-the-world/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [I credit my parents for many things that had never seemed remarkable when I was growing up, and one of those things is how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/i-credit-my-parents-for-many-things-that-had-never-seemed-remarkable/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [I have one friend to whom I've told more than I've ever told anyone, and yet there are significant territories I have and will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/i-have-one-friend-to-whom-i-ve-told-more-than-i-ve-ever-told-anyone/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [“If you keep trying to find everything, you’ll wind up with nothing. AMY:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/if-you-keep-trying-to-find-everything-you-ll-wind-up-with-nothing-amy/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) [Explore all 94 Hanya Yanagihara quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was two people who remained together, day after day, bound not by sex or physical attraction or money or children or property, but only by the shared agreement to keep going, the mutual dedication to a union that could never be codified. 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