--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd had no idea what life or love was…" description: "\"“I'd had no idea what life or love was. Life didn't explode in the sunshine and pretty places. Life took the strongest root with a little bit of rain a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/karen-marie-moning-189_life_i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-li_1183964.jpg" --- # I'd had no idea what life or love was. Life didn't explode… ![“I'd had no idea what life or love was. Life didn't explode in the sunshine and pretty places. Life took the strongest root with a little bit of rain and a whole lot of shit for fertilizer. Although love could grow in times of peace, it temperred in battle.” quote by Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/karen-marie-moning-189_life_i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-li_1183964.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/karen-marie-moning-189_life_i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-li_1183964.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/karen-marie-moning-189_life_i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-li_1183964.jpg) > ““I'd had no idea what life or love was. Life didn't explode in the sunshine and pretty places. Life took the strongest root with a little bit of rain and a whole lot of shit for fertilizer. Although love could grow in times of peace, it temperred in battle.”” [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life and love develop through hardship, not idealized moments; struggle nurtures growth. **In simple terms:** Hardship fuels growth. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges to strengthen love and life. Themes hardship growth love resilience Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - personal development - overcoming adversity Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do hardships shape your relationships? - What does “fertilizer” symbolize for you? A Different Perspective Idealized visions ignore reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Life didn't explode in the sunshine and pretty places. Life took the strongest root with a little bit of rain and with a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/life-didn-t-explode-in-the-sunshine-and-pretty-places-life-took-the/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“But when it comes to life or love, I choose life. I’m here right now, ready to live and love another day. I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/but-when-it-comes-to-life-or-love-i-choose-life-i-m-here-right-now/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [“Love can mend your life or love can break your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-police/love-can-mend-your-life-or-love-can-break-your-heart/) [The Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-police/) > [“She had never brought courage to either life or love. Her eyes ransacked her heart. She thought of the amulets and of her beads,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/she-had-never-brought-courage-to-either-life-or-love-her-eyes/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“I thought that I could make my life into a book that had no life or love in it. . . . Now I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-waters/i-thought-that-i-could-make-my-life-into-a-book-that-had-no-life-or/) [Sarah Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-waters/) > [“Love, is it morning risen or night deceased That makes the mirth of this triumphant east? Is it bliss given or bitterness put by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/love-is-it-morning-risen-or-night-deceased-that-makes-the-mirth-of/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [“Time Out To Cry © All alone at the end of the day The time, just a little past ten Evening has come for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannen-wrass/time-out-to-cry-all-alone-at-the-end-of-the-day-the-time-just-a/) [Shannen Wrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannen-wrass/) > [Put a small piano in a truck and drive out on country roads; take time to discover new scenery; stop in a pretty place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sviatoslav-richter/put-a-small-piano-in-a-truck-and-drive-out-on-country-roads-take-time/) Sviatoslav Richter > [I want to love you and take you pretty places. Yes, I have things wrong, but also I can walk through walls if you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/i-want-to-love-you-and-take-you-pretty-places-yes-i-have-things-wrong/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [...we’re just kids growing up on an island, doing bad things in pretty places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaui-hart-hemmings/we-re-just-kids-growing-up-on-an-island-doing-bad-things-in-pretty/) [Kaui Hart Hemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaui-hart-hemmings/) > [ “The world of \[comic book\] collecting is not a pretty place. For a bunch of guys who like good-over-evil stories, you sure meet a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-world-of-comic-book-collecting-is-not-a-pretty-place-for-a-bunch/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [I'm not just interested in the pictorial aspects of the landscape - see a pretty place and try to paint it - but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-thiebaud/i-m-not-just-interested-in-the-pictorial-aspects-of-the-landscape-see/) [Wayne Thiebaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-thiebaud/) > [I've been to unpretty places with the roles I've played, and I'm attracted to reckless abandon. I like being taken to the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/i-ve-been-to-unpretty-places-with-the-roles-i-ve-played-and-i-m/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) > [But clearly life took people and shook them around until finally they were unrecognizable even to those who had once known them well. Still,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/but-clearly-life-took-people-and-shook-them-around-until-finally-they/) [Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/) > [It took me so long to get to the music, where that was what I wanted to do all my life. It took me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-doillon/it-took-me-so-long-to-get-to-the-music-where-that-was-what-i-wanted/) [Lou Doillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-doillon/) ## More by Karen Marie Moning > [“I can either be a victim—or a winner. Fuck victimhood. I don’t wear it well; it clashes with my wardrobe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-can-either-be-a-victim-or-a-winner-fuck-victimhood-i-don-t-wear-it/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Some things are sacred. Until you act like they're not. Then you lose them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/some-things-are-sacred-until-you-act-like-they-re-not-then-you-lose/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Who would ever understand me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/who-would-ever-understand-me/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/sometimes-ms-lane-he-said-one-must-break-with-one-s-past-to-embrace/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I think I’m under control, that I’ve stripped away all weaknesses. That committing to my mission has made me impervious. I’m wrong. The thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-think-i-m-under-control-that-i-ve-stripped-away-all-weaknesses-that/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Desire makes life happen. Makes it matter. Makes everything worth it. Desire is life. Hunger to see the next sunrise or sunset, to touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/desire-makes-life-happen-makes-it-matter-makes-everything-worth-it/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Our sex is fierce. We will both be bruised. "I want it to always be like this," I tell him. "Try holding onto that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/our-sex-is-fierce-we-will-both-be-bruised-i-want-it-to-always-be-like/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Keep hoping to see the light in her eyes. Even knowing it'll mean she's saying good-bye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/keep-hoping-to-see-the-light-in-her-eyes-even-knowing-it-ll-mean-she/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Strength wasn‘t about being able to do everything alone. Strength was knowing when to ask for help and not being too proud to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/strength-wasn-t-about-being-able-to-do-everything-alone-strength-was/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“He swapped the fistful of my shirt for one in my hair, and ground his mouth against mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/he-swapped-the-fistful-of-my-shirt-for-one-in-my-hair-and-ground-his/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [He’s so beautiful,” she said wistfully. “He’s like an angel.” “Yep,” I agreed flatly. “The one that fell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/he-s-so-beautiful-she-said-wistfully-he-s-like-an-angel-yep-i-agreed/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [And when he did that, my hands curled into fists because I thought about touching his face like maybe I could catch joy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/and-when-he-did-that-my-hands-curled-into-fists-because-i-thought/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Flattered as I am that you count me among the beautiful people, Barrons, allow me to point out that I’m still alive. I encountered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/flattered-as-i-am-that-you-count-me-among-the-beautiful-people/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) [Explore all 940 Karen Marie Moning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) Deanna L. Lawlis > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [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/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I'd had no idea what life or love was. Life didn't explode in the sunshine and pretty places. Life took the strongest root with a little bit of rain and a whole lot of shit for fertilizer. Although love could grow in times of peace, it temperred in battle.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karen Marie Moning" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-life-didn-t-explode-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-life-didn-t-explode-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/karen-marie-moning-189_life_i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-li_1183964.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/karen-marie-moning-189_life_i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-li_1183964.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ad/karen-marie-moning-189_life_i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-li_1183964.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'd had no idea what life or love was. Life didn't explode in the sunshine and pretty places. Life took the…” — Karen Marie Moning", "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": "Karen Marie Moning", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I'd had no idea what life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-life-didn-t-explode-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-d-had-no-idea-what-life-or-love-was-life-didn-t-explode-in-the/#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 } } ] } ```