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Love Quote by John Lewis

“Suffering, though, can be nothing more than a sad and sorry thing without the presence on the part of the sufferer of a graceful heart, an accepting and open heart, a heart that holds no malice toward the inflictors of his or suffering This is a difficult concept to understand, and it is even more…” quote by John Lewis
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““Suffering, though, can be nothing more than a sad and sorry thing without the presence on the part of the sufferer of a graceful heart, an accepting and open heart, a heart that holds no malice toward the inflictors of his or suffering This is a difficult concept to understand, and it is even more difficult to internalize, but it has everything to do with the way of nonviolence. We are talking about love here…This is a broader, deeper, more all-encompassing love. It is a love that acepts and embraces the hateful and the hurtful. It is a love that recognizes the spark of the divine in each of us, even in those who would raise their hand against us, those we might call our enemy.””

John Lewis

About This Quote

Source Speech: Remarks on Nonviolence, 2016

True compassion requires an open heart that accepts even those who cause us pain, seeing divinity in all and practicing love beyond retaliation.

In simple terms: Love means accepting and caring for even those who hurt you, seeing the divine in everyone.

Key Takeaway

Practice unconditional love and nonviolence toward all, including adversaries.

Themes

compassion nonviolence universal love spirituality

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

motivational spiritual

When to use this quote

  • personal relationships
  • social activism
  • conflict mediation

Key Concepts

ethical philosophy empathy conflict resolution

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you cultivate an open heart amid hostility?
  • What practices help you see the divine in others?
A Different Perspective

Such love can be hard to sustain when faced with repeated harm.

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