--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How can I give love when I don't know…" description: "\"How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving?\" — John Lennon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/john-lennon-322_giving_how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-wh_584851.jpg" --- # How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving? ![“How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving?” quote by John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/john-lennon-322_giving_how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-wh_584851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/john-lennon-322_giving_how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-wh_584851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/john-lennon-322_giving_how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-wh_584851.jpg) > “How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving?” [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love cannot be given authentically without understanding its nature; self‑knowledge is essential before sharing love. **In simple terms:** Know love before giving it Key Takeaway Seek self‑understanding to love effectively Themes self‑knowledge love authenticity philosophy Mood introspective hopeful Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - artistic expression - spiritual practice Key Concepts identity formation emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What does love mean to you? - How can you clarify your feelings before acting? A Different Perspective Love can be misunderstood without clear definition ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-know/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-giving-1119142/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [The fans know that I have been giving it my all and that we had the good judgment to when to say when.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-rahal/the-fans-know-that-i-have-been-giving-it-my-all-and-that-we-had-the/) [Bobby Rahal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-rahal/) > [“Lyor Cohen, who I consider my mentor, once told me something that he was told by a rabbi about the eight degrees of giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/lyor-cohen-who-i-consider-my-mentor-once-told-me-something-that-he/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [One can know nothing of giving aught that is worthy to give unless one also knows how to take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/one-can-know-nothing-of-giving-aught-that-is-worthy-to-give-unless/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [You may have heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There's another day you might want to know about: Giving Tuesday. The idea is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/you-may-have-heard-of-black-friday-and-cyber-monday-there-s-another/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“If you can't see a benefit of the challenges in the present, know that you're giving a present to your future." —Bright Side Up:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-can-t-see-a-benefit-of-the-challenges-in-the-present-know-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All Newcastle fans need to know is that I will be giving everything for their cause now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-owen/all-newcastle-fans-need-to-know-is-that-i-will-be-giving-everything/) [Michael Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-owen/) > [ I know that if I feel any deprivation or fear \[about money\], the solution is to give. The solution is to go find some… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-know-that-if-i-feel-any-deprivation-or-fear-about-money-the/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [There comes a point in time when you must know that everything you have already given or done is enough. This is not something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/there-comes-a-point-in-time-when-you-must-know-that-everything-you/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [You know, we should not be giving cash to people who basically are just going to blow it on drugsand not take care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-hatch/you-know-we-should-not-be-giving-cash-to-people-who-basically-are/) [Orrin Hatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-hatch/) > [I was gifted at birth with this talent, and I've tried to honor it all my life. And I did - through hell and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenifer-lewis/i-was-gifted-at-birth-with-this-talent-and-i-ve-tried-to-honor-it-all/) [Jenifer Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenifer-lewis/) > [I think there's a lot of power in admitting that you don't know everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williamson/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-power-in-admitting-that-you-don-t-know/) [Kit Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williamson/) > [I don't know what people think of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/post-malone/i-don-t-know-what-people-think-of-me/) [Post Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/post-malone/) > [I don't know how to carry a tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/i-don-t-know-how-to-carry-a-tune/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) > [I don't know anything about Amazon's culture; I've never worked there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-conrad/i-don-t-know-anything-about-amazon-s-culture-i-ve-never-worked-there/) [Parker Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-conrad/) > [I don't know where 12 months has gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-appleby/i-don-t-know-where-12-months-has-gone/) [Stuart Appleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-appleby/) ## More by John Lennon > [Well, I don't want to be king, I want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/well-i-don-t-want-to-be-king-i-want-to-be-real/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [As someone from the working class I was always interested in Russia and China and everything that related to the working class, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/as-someone-from-the-working-class-i-was-always-interested-in-russia/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I never went to high school reunions. My thing is, out of sight, out of mind. That's my attitude toward life. So I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-never-went-to-high-school-reunions-my-thing-is-out-of-sight-out-of/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Today's folk song is rock and roll. Although it happened to emanate from America, that's not really important in the end because we wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/today-s-folk-song-is-rock-and-roll-although-it-happened-to-emanate/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [If you want to get peace, you can get it as soon as you like if we all pull together. ... Think peace, live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-to-get-peace-you-can-get-it-as-soon-as-you-like-if-we-all/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The reason why kids are crazy is because nobody can face the responsibility of bringing them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-reason-why-kids-are-crazy-is-because-nobody-can-face-the/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [In my case I've never not been political, though religion tended to overshadow it in my acid days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/in-my-case-i-ve-never-not-been-political-though-religion-tended-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Songwriting is about getting the demon out of me. It's like being possessed. You try to go to sleep, but the song won't let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/songwriting-is-about-getting-the-demon-out-of-me-it-s-like-being/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Imagine there's no heaven... it's easy if you try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/imagine-there-s-no-heaven-it-s-easy-if-you-try/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/man-you-should-have-seen-them-kicking-edgar-allan-poe/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Love is like a flower - you've got to let it grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/love-is-like-a-flower-you-ve-got-to-let-it-grow/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-don-t-know-which-will-go-first-rock-n-roll-or-christianity/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The main hangup in the world today is hypocrisy and insecurity. If people can't face up to the fact of other people being naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-main-hangup-in-the-world-today-is-hypocrisy-and-insecurity-if/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) [Explore all 681 John Lennon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## More Giving quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [You've touched people and known it. You've touched people and never may know it. Either way, you have something to give. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/you-ve-touched-people-and-known-it-you-ve-touched-people-and-never/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I don't think my relationship with the idea of womanhood is that attached to giving birth... like, I'm fully aware that I'll never give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-harrison/i-don-t-think-my-relationship-with-the-idea-of-womanhood-is-that/) [Patti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-harrison/) [Browse all 39,303 Giving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Lennon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-what-it-is-i-m-giving/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Giving" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-what-it-is-i-m-giving/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/john-lennon-322_giving_how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-wh_584851.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/john-lennon-322_giving_how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-wh_584851.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c4/john-lennon-322_giving_how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-wh_584851.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving?” — John Lennon", "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": "John Lennon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How can I give love when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-what-it-is-i-m-giving/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-what-it-is-i-m-giving/#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 } } ] } ```