--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are no absolutes for something so…" description: "\"“There are no absolutes for something so relative as a human life. There are no rules for something so gentle as a heart.”\" — Hugh Prather" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/hugh-prather-3404_absolutes_there-are-no-absolutes-for-something-so_1247428.png" --- # There are no absolutes for something so relative as a… ![“There are no absolutes for something so relative as a human life. There are no rules for something so gentle as a heart.” quote by Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/hugh-prather-3404_absolutes_there-are-no-absolutes-for-something-so_1247428.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/hugh-prather-3404_absolutes_there-are-no-absolutes-for-something-so_1247428.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a32/hugh-prather-3404_absolutes_there-are-no-absolutes-for-something-so_1247428.png) > ““There are no absolutes for something so relative as a human life. There are no rules for something so gentle as a heart.”” [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human life and emotions are inherently fluid, lacking fixed rules or absolutes. **In simple terms:** Life and love are relative, not rigid. Key Takeaway Accept flexibility in relationships. Themes relativity human nature empathy Mood contemplative empathetic Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal relationships - conflict resolution - self‑reflection Key Concepts philosophical psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you adapt when others' values differ? - What flexibility can you practice in love? A Different Perspective Rigid expectations can damage connections. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Absolutes Relative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes-relative-3917730/) [Gentle Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle-heart-1461605/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Relative Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relative-human-3917731/) [Rules Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-gentle-1296587/) ## Related quotes > [But a true diva has dismissed that drama. A true diva's heart is open, and she's ready to play by her own rules -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenifer-lewis/but-a-true-diva-has-dismissed-that-drama-a-true-diva-s-heart-is-open/) [Jenifer Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenifer-lewis/) > [Tantric Zen is more suited for this age that we live in. It give you rules, but in a gentle way. It's not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/tantric-zen-is-more-suited-for-this-age-that-we-live-in-it-give-you/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“It was really a very simple thing, after all,—it was only that he had lived near a kind and gentle heart, and had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/it-was-really-a-very-simple-thing-after-all-it-was-only-that-he-had/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [Love and the gentle heart are but the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/love-and-the-gentle-heart-are-but-the-same-thing/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [A kind and gentle heart he had, To comfort friends and foes; The naked every day he clad When he put on his clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/a-kind-and-gentle-heart-he-had-to-comfort-friends-and-foes-the-naked/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart, Éowyn!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-scorn-pity-that-is-the-gift-of-a-gentle-heart-owyn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the end a gentle heart may be worth more than pride or valor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/in-the-end-a-gentle-heart-may-be-worth-more-than-pride-or-valor/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [A gentle heart is tied with an easy thread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/a-gentle-heart-is-tied-with-an-easy-thread/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [“Reality is an absolute, existence is an absolute, a speck of dust is an absolute and so is a human life. Whether you live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/reality-is-an-absolute-existence-is-an-absolute-a-speck-of-dust-is-an/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Art is the way to the absolute and to the essence of human life. 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But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/there-is-no-perfect-justice-just-as-there-is-no-absolute-in-ethics/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) ## More by Hugh Prather > [Ultimately, my character is defined by the quality of my sensitivity to other people. I exist in equilibrium. I am here to the degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/ultimately-my-character-is-defined-by-the-quality-of-my-sensitivity/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [“I wish" assumes that I know what is the opposite of my present experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/i-wish-assumes-that-i-know-what-is-the-opposite-of-my-present/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [Sometimes when I generalize, I am saying, 'Let's pretend I am God,' and of course the other person argues that point endlessly. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/sometimes-when-i-generalize-i-am-saying-let-s-pretend-i-am-god-and-of/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [If the ocean was pure mind and I was a wave, I would be in terror if Itried to distinguish myself fromthe water that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/if-the-ocean-was-pure-mind-and-i-was-a-wave-i-would-be-in-terror-if/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [I don't need a "reason" to be happy. I don't have to consult the future to know how happy I feel now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/i-don-t-need-a-reason-to-be-happy-i-don-t-have-to-consult-the-future/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [“In order to see, I have to be willing to be seen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/in-order-to-see-i-have-to-be-willing-to-be-seen/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [No matter what we talk about, we are talking about ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/no-matter-what-we-talk-about-we-are-talking-about-ourselves/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [Love itself is not an act of will, but sometimes I need the force of my volition to break with my habitual responses and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/love-itself-is-not-an-act-of-will-but-sometimes-i-need-the-force-of/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [I can not 'make my mark' for all time - those concepts are mutually exclusive. 'Lasting effect' is a self-contradictory term. Meaning does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/i-can-not-make-my-mark-for-all-time-those-concepts-are-mutually/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [Today I don't want to live for, I want to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/today-i-don-t-want-to-live-for-i-want-to-live/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [Love, the magician, knows this little trick whereby two people walk in different directions yet always remain side by side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/love-the-magician-knows-this-little-trick-whereby-two-people-walk-in/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [Books seek us out. They slip themselves into our hands just at the time we are ready for a new self-concept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/books-seek-us-out-they-slip-themselves-into-our-hands-just-at-the/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [If I work toward an end, meantime I am confined to a process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/if-i-work-toward-an-end-meantime-i-am-confined-to-a-process/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [Happiness is gentleness, peace, concentration, simplicity, forgiveness, humor, fearlessness, trust, and now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/happiness-is-gentleness-peace-concentration-simplicity-forgiveness/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [One element of maturity is the realization that we don't get away with anything. Any advantage gained or convenience taken, any private procrastination or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/one-element-of-maturity-is-the-realization-that-we-don-t-get-away/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) [Explore all 130 Hugh Prather quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) ## More Absolutes quotes > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. 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