--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The rarest feeling that ever lights a…" description: "\"The rarest feeling that ever lights a human face is the contentment of a loving soul.\" — Henry Ward Beecher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/henry-ward-beecher-175_contentment_the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-hu_488036.png" --- # The rarest feeling that ever lights a human face is the… ![“The rarest feeling that ever lights a human face is the contentment of a loving soul.” quote by Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/henry-ward-beecher-175_contentment_the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-hu_488036.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/henry-ward-beecher-175_contentment_the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-hu_488036.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/henry-ward-beecher-175_contentment_the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-hu_488036.png) > “The rarest feeling that ever lights a human face is the contentment of a loving soul.” [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True happiness comes from loving others, not from personal achievement. **In simple terms:** Loving others brings joy. Key Takeaway Cultivate love, seek connection. Themes love contentment human connection Mood warm reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - family gatherings - volunteering - relationship building Key Concepts altruism emotional fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - How can you express love today? - What relationships nurture your soul? A Different Perspective If love is absent, contentment may be fleeting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) [Contentment Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment-loving-3784252/) [Face Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-contentment-4182700/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Human faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-faces/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Loving Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-soul-1371178/) [Rarest Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rarest-feeling-4182699/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [In my own personal life, it's been pretty hard navigating love, and so I've found this kind of contentment in loving myself and waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trace-lysette/in-my-own-personal-life-it-s-been-pretty-hard-navigating-love-and-so/) [Trace Lysette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trace-lysette/) > [“The finest clothes anyone can wear are a kind heart and a loving soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/the-finest-clothes-anyone-can-wear-are-a-kind-heart-and-a-loving-soul/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [A loving soul was always more beautiful over the long haul, but actual prettiness was fleeting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/a-loving-soul-was-always-more-beautiful-over-the-long-haul-but-actual/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Always a loving soul - independent, and creative. Everyone you touched in life, is struck by profound grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grunge-eurypides/always-a-loving-soul-independent-and-creative-everyone-you-touched-in/) [Grunge Eurypides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grunge-eurypides/) > [“It was not a jolly place at all for a sun-loving soul”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-powell/it-was-not-a-jolly-place-at-all-for-a-sun-loving-soul/) [Dawn Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-powell/) > [We only see in a lifetime a dozen faces marked with the peace of a contented spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/we-only-see-in-a-lifetime-a-dozen-faces-marked-with-the-peace-of-a/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [We are not to make the ideas of contentment and aspiration quarrel, for God made them fast friends. A man may aspire, and yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/we-are-not-to-make-the-ideas-of-contentment-and-aspiration-quarrel/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [There is no sight so ugly as the human face in anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-fitzhugh/there-is-no-sight-so-ugly-as-the-human-face-in-anger/) [Louise Fitzhugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-fitzhugh/) > [The thing about the human face is that we're so genetically programmed to recognize differences in human faces that, when you're digitally affecting faces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-mostow/the-thing-about-the-human-face-is-that-we-re-so-genetically/) [Jonathan Mostow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-mostow/) > [Where we find hate and darkness, may we bring love and hope, in order to give a more human face to society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/where-we-find-hate-and-darkness-may-we-bring-love-and-hope-in-order/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [True worth is as inevitably discovered by the facial expression, as its opposite is sure to be clearly represented there. The human face is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/true-worth-is-as-inevitably-discovered-by-the-facial-expression-as/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [Who can now deny the loss of natural light, of skin tones, of real place, and common but precious things in our movies, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/who-can-now-deny-the-loss-of-natural-light-of-skin-tones-of-real/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [Royalty puts a human face on the operations of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-runcie/royalty-puts-a-human-face-on-the-operations-of-government/) [Robert Runcie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-runcie/) > [What we are trying to do is to create a new business paradigm, simply showing that business can have a human face and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/what-we-are-trying-to-do-is-to-create-a-new-business-paradigm-simply/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [I tried to depict the human face of this history, I wanted to write a book that people would actually want to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imre-kert-sz/i-tried-to-depict-the-human-face-of-this-history-i-wanted-to-write-a/) [Imre Kertész](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imre-kert-sz/) ## More by Henry Ward Beecher > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Even a liar tells a hundred truths to one lie; he has to, to make the lie good for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/even-a-liar-tells-a-hundred-truths-to-one-lie-he-has-to-to-make-the/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obey them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-are-not-masters-but-servants-and-he-rules-them-who-obey-them/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [In America there is not one single element of civilization that is not made to depend, in the end, upon public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/in-america-there-is-not-one-single-element-of-civilization-that-is/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The best lessons a man ever learns are from his mistakes. It is not for want of schoolmasters that we are still ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-best-lessons-a-man-ever-learns-are-from-his-mistakes-it-is-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [THERE are joys which long to be ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-are-joys-which-long-to-be-ours/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [People may talk about the equality of the sexes! They are not equal. The silent smile of a sensible, loving woman will vanquish ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/people-may-talk-about-the-equality-of-the-sexes-they-are-not-equal/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirthfulness is in the mind and you cannot get it out. It is just as good in its place as conscience or veneration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirthfulness-is-in-the-mind-and-you-cannot-get-it-out-it-is-just-as/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/mirth-is-god-s-medicine-everybody-ought-to-bathe-in-it/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Some of God's noblest sons, I think, will be selected from those that know how to take wealth, with all its temptations, and maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/some-of-god-s-noblest-sons-i-think-will-be-selected-from-those-that/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You have seen a ship out on the bay, swinging with the tide, and seeming as if it would follow it; and yet it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/you-have-seen-a-ship-out-on-the-bay-swinging-with-the-tide-and/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) [Explore all 990 Henry Ward Beecher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More Contentment quotes > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I may not have everything I want in life but I have all I will ever need to make my life complete, my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-may-not-have-everything-i-want-in-life-but-i-have-all-i-will-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can find as much happiness at the bottom of the ladder of success as you can at the top, then you understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-krause/if-you-can-find-as-much-happiness-at-the-bottom-of-the-ladder-of/) [Tom Krause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-krause/) > [There are two sorts of content; one is connected with exertion, the other with habits of indolence. The first is a virtue; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/there-are-two-sorts-of-content-one-is-connected-with-exertion-the/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [“When we perform at our highest level of potential, we are content. Because we have given I best in what we enjoy doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-barrier/when-we-perform-at-our-highest-level-of-potential-we-are-content/) [Ellen J. Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-barrier/) > [Money is made at Christmas out of holly and mistletoe, but who save the vendors would greatly care if no green branch were procurable?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/money-is-made-at-christmas-out-of-holly-and-mistletoe-but-who-save/) [George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/) > [My crown is in my heart, not on my head; not decked with diamonds and Indian stones, nor to be seen: my crown is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-crown-is-in-my-heart-not-on-my-head-not-decked-with-diamonds-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Most of us are not content with our lot because we want a lot more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianette-carbito/most-of-us-are-not-content-with-our-lot-because-we-want-a-lot-more/) [Marianette Carbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianette-carbito/) > [Pleasure simply brings more craving, but the problem is that we try to get contentment through pleasure. True contentment can only come through service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/pleasure-simply-brings-more-craving-but-the-problem-is-that-we-try-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Every human always wants more. We're never satisfied. True happiness doesn't come until we're fully satisfied with what we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-human-always-wants-more-we-re-never-satisfied-true-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was so nearly happy. There remained only a tiny something, something unexplained and inexplicable that buzzed in my ear when the lights were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-rooney/i-was-so-nearly-happy-there-remained-only-a-tiny-something-something/) [Jennie Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-rooney/) > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [One often learns more from ten days of agony than ten years of contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/one-often-learns-more-from-ten-days-of-agony-than-ten-years-of/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Stop complaining and start accepting, everything happens for a reason, you may not notice the importance of the things that you have now, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/stop-complaining-and-start-accepting-everything-happens-for-a-reason/) [Hemantsmarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemantsmarty/) > [True intimacy is the experience of real acceptance and authentic vulnerability without feeling the need to apologize or fear rejection. The freedom to just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-blake-michiels/true-intimacy-is-the-experience-of-real-acceptance-and-authentic/) [Jordan Blake Michiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-blake-michiels/) [Browse all 1,355 Contentment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The rarest feeling that ever lights a human face is the contentment of a loving soul.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Ward Beecher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-human-face-is-the-contentment/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contentment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-human-face-is-the-contentment/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/henry-ward-beecher-175_contentment_the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-hu_488036.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/henry-ward-beecher-175_contentment_the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-hu_488036.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/henry-ward-beecher-175_contentment_the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-hu_488036.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The rarest feeling that ever lights a human face is the contentment of a loving soul.” — Henry Ward Beecher", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry Ward Beecher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The rarest feeling that ever lights...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-human-face-is-the-contentment/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/the-rarest-feeling-that-ever-lights-a-human-face-is-the-contentment/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```