---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you loved someone, really loved them…"
description: "\"If you loved someone, really loved them, would you let them go?\" — Jodi Picoult"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/jodi-picoult-45_quote_if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-w_1911264.jpg"
---

#  If you loved someone, really loved them, would you let…

![“If you loved someone, really loved them, would you let them go?” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/jodi-picoult-45_quote_if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-w_1911264.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/jodi-picoult-45_quote_if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-w_1911264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/jodi-picoult-45_quote_if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-w_1911264.jpg)

> “If you loved someone, really loved them, would you let them go?”

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

True love may require releasing the beloved to let them pursue their own path.

**In simple terms:** Love may mean letting go.

Key Takeaway

Practice compassionate release.

Themes

love loss letting go

Mood

introspective empathetic

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- relationships
- parenting
- end‑of‑life care
- friendships

Key Concepts

attachment theory ethical dilemmas

Questions to Reflect On

- When is it right to let go?
- What fears arise when releasing love?

A Different Perspective

Letting go can cause deep sorrow.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved/) [Loved Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-let-362934/) [Loved Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-really-424554/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Really Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-loved/)

## Related quotes

> [“He loved me. He really loved me. And I loved him. In spite of everything that should have kept us apart - our castes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/he-loved-me-he-really-loved-me-and-i-loved-him-in-spite-of-everything/)

[Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/)

> [“what was she like? she loved him, really loved him then, for an instant. this, this was easier. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-noble/what-was-she-like-she-loved-him-really-loved-him-then-for-an-instant/)

[Elizabeth Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-noble/)

> [I must have been 10 or 11, but anything Dana Carvey ever did, I just really loved. He was on for a long time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-must-have-been-10-or-11-but-anything-dana-carvey-ever-did-i-just/)

[Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/)

> [When you lose someone you loved, they are never really gone, they are in your heart forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-lose-someone-you-loved-they-are-never-really-gone-they-are/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The true need that everyone has is to love and be loved. It really is as simple as that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-true-need-that-everyone-has-is-to-love-and-be-loved-it-really-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Never really loved by anyone, never seeming really to love anyone either”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/never-really-loved-by-anyone-never-seeming-really-to-love-anyone/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [There is no such thing as the word love.If you loved someone then you really never loved them at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-such-thing-as-the-word-love-if-you-loved-someone-then-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [London is like a girlfriend I loved, then really fell out with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lapo-elkann/london-is-like-a-girlfriend-i-loved-then-really-fell-out-with/)

[Lapo Elkann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lapo-elkann/)

> [I knew if I were ever to leave 'Godspell,' which I loved so much, it would have to be for something really spectacular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-mendez/i-knew-if-i-were-ever-to-leave-godspell-which-i-loved-so-much-it/)

[Lindsay Mendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-mendez/)

> [“If she’d ever had any doubts that she loved him, really loved him, she knew now. It was easy to love somebody when love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/if-she-d-ever-had-any-doubts-that-she-loved-him-really-loved-him-she/)

[Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/)

> [I loved you, I really did. And just because I'm moving on won't mean I stop loving you. It's just means i've realized, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia/i-loved-you-i-really-did-and-just-because-i-m-moving-on-won-t-mean-i/)

[Julia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia/)

> [“I realize that those who have loved us are never really gone. They live on in all the ones we love and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/i-realize-that-those-who-have-loved-us-are-never-really-gone-they/)

[Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/)

> [You are loved...you really are! You are cared for in every way! You are supported! You are special! You do matter!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-loved-you-really-are-you-are-cared-for-in-every-way-you-are/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Sometimes we strive to be loved by another if we really need to just love ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-strive-to-be-loved-by-another-if-we-really-need-to-just/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I told you I'll always be 100% with you so asking me if I we're for real when I said I liked you almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shar-rae/i-told-you-i-ll-always-be-100-with-you-so-asking-me-if-i-we-re-for/)

[Shar-rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shar-rae/)

## More by Jodi Picoult

> [You get through it, you just never get over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-get-through-it-you-just-never-get-over-it/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“Let me guess," Eric says, "You never meant for it to happen." "Hell, yes, I did. I've wanted her since you two started dating."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/let-me-guess-eric-says-you-never-meant-for-it-to-happen-hell-yes-i/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“It’s the difference between dancing along the eggshell crust of acquaintance and diving into the messy center of a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-the-difference-between-dancing-along-the-eggshell-crust-of/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [Because hate's just the flip side of love. Like heads and tails on a dime. If you don't know what it feels like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/because-hate-s-just-the-flip-side-of-love-like-heads-and-tails-on-a/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [I love feeling loved. I don't love knowing that I will always come in second place. I love the fact that at least sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-love-feeling-loved-i-don-t-love-knowing-that-i-will-always-come-in/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“Music is the language of memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/music-is-the-language-of-memory/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [But there is a different between mending someone who's broken and finding someone who makes you complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-there-is-a-different-between-mending-someone-who-s-broken-and/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“sometimes words are not big enough to contain all the feelings you are trying to pour into them. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/sometimes-words-are-not-big-enough-to-contain-all-the-feelings-you/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“The age wasn't as important as the milestones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-age-wasn-t-as-important-as-the-milestones/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-she-had-packed-all-the-artifacts-that-made-up-their-personal/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [“Here's what I hadn't realized : the mother you haven't seen for almost 36 years isn't your mother. She is a stranger. Sharing DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/here-s-what-i-hadn-t-realized-the-mother-you-haven-t-seen-for-almost/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

[Explore all 2,062 Jodi Picoult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

## More Loved quotes

> [ I\] k\[n\]ow youre b\[e\]tt\[e\]r off without me. \[D\]ont worr\[y\] ab\[o\]\[u\]t me. Im fine. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinku-razoria/i-k-n-ow-youre-b-e-tt-e-r-off-without-me-d-ont-worr-y-ab-o-u-t-me-im/)

[Tinku Razoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinku-razoria/)

> [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/)

[Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/)

> [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/)

[Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/)

> [“For a very long time, Viviane and Jack lived in that world people inhabit before love. Some people called that place friendship; others called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslye-walton/for-a-very-long-time-viviane-and-jack-lived-in-that-world-people/)

[Leslye Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslye-walton/)

> [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/)

[Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/)

> [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I always loved as a kid reading 'Spider-Man,' and the 'Fantastic Four' would show up... it was all about that larger universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-reed/i-always-loved-as-a-kid-reading-spider-man-and-the-fantastic-four/)

[Peyton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-reed/)

> [I loved Twitter. But I was going to end up saying something that would get me into trouble. I have kept a clean nose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-richards/i-loved-twitter-but-i-was-going-to-end-up-saying-something-that-would/)

[Micah Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-richards/)

> [She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/she-was-only-a-whiskey-maker-but-he-loved-her-still/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [“So, I'm just going to tell you how it is for me,' Boyd continued frankly. His gaze was intense and sincere as he didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ais/so-i-m-just-going-to-tell-you-how-it-is-for-me-boyd-continued-frankly/)

[Ais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ais/)

> [I'd rather be hated for who I am, than be loved for who I'm not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-rather-be-hated-for-who-i-am-than-be-loved-for-who-i-m-not/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When people go get chemo, they're not injecting themselves with will - I have lost various loved ones to cancer, and I certainly don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-hall/when-people-go-get-chemo-they-re-not-injecting-themselves-with-will-i/)

[Michael C. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-hall/)

> [I fell upon Jenny Saville's work and loved these great big pieces she was painting, celebrating all things flesh and woman, and with great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-fell-upon-jenny-saville-s-work-and-loved-these-great-big-pieces-she/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/)

[Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/)

[Browse all 8,566 Loved quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If you loved someone, really loved them, would you let them go?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jodi Picoult"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-would-you-let-them-go/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Loved"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-would-you-let-them-go/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/jodi-picoult-45_quote_if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-w_1911264.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/jodi-picoult-45_quote_if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-w_1911264.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/795/jodi-picoult-45_quote_if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-w_1911264.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you loved someone, really loved them, would you let them go?” — Jodi Picoult",
                "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": "Jodi Picoult",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If you loved someone, really loved...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-would-you-let-them-go/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/if-you-loved-someone-really-loved-them-would-you-let-them-go/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
