--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps, she thought, that’s what love…" description: "\"“Perhaps, she thought, that’s what love does. It’s not there to make you feel special. It’s to make you brave. It was like a ration pack in the desert,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/katherine-rundell-17722_bravery_perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-doe_629212.jpg" --- # Perhaps, she thought, that’s what love does. It’s not… ![“Perhaps, she thought, that’s what love does. It’s not there to make you feel special. It’s to make you brave. It was like a ration pack in the desert, she thought, like a box of matches in a dark wood. Love and courage, thought Sophie—two words for the same thing.” quote by Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/katherine-rundell-17722_bravery_perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-doe_629212.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/katherine-rundell-17722_bravery_perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-doe_629212.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/katherine-rundell-17722_bravery_perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-doe_629212.jpg) > ““Perhaps, she thought, that’s what love does. It’s not there to make you feel special. It’s to make you brave. It was like a ration pack in the desert, she thought, like a box of matches in a dark wood. Love and courage, thought Sophie—two words for the same thing.”” [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love provides courage, acting like essential supplies that empower us in hardship. **In simple terms:** Love fuels bravery. Key Takeaway Seek love as a source of strength in difficult times. Themes love courage resilience support Mood inspirational hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - overcoming fear - facing loss - personal growth - adversity Key Concepts emotional sustenance psychological empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What does love mean to you in challenging moments? - How can you cultivate courage without relying on love? A Different Perspective Love may not always be reciprocal or sufficient alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bravery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravery/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-thought-958826/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love and courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-courage/) [Love Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-courage-268253/) [Sophie Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sophie-words-5075185/) [Thought Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-love-331280/) [Thought Sophie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-sophie-4333704/) ## Related quotes > [The idea of a library full of books, the books full of knowledge, fills me with fear and love and courage and endless wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mccracken/the-idea-of-a-library-full-of-books-the-books-full-of-knowledge-fills/) [Elizabeth McCracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mccracken/) > [What do we believe in? Love and courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jagmeet-singh/what-do-we-believe-in-love-and-courage/) [Jagmeet Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jagmeet-singh/) > [I suspect he's sweet on Sophie and doesn't like to see her work too hard.' Tessa was glad to hear it. She'd felt awful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-suspect-he-s-sweet-on-sophie-and-doesn-t-like-to-see-her-work-too/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [There are times when I just can't bring myself to sit down and write and I'm never sure whether it's pure laziness or lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-cary/there-are-times-when-i-just-can-t-bring-myself-to-sit-down-and-write/) [Kate Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-cary/) > [Despite not knowing if what he felt from moment to moment would pass or last forever, he entered fully into his shifting states of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/despite-not-knowing-if-what-he-felt-from-moment-to-moment-would-pass/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [I am sure of this, that by going much alone a man will get more of a noble courage in thought and word than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-sure-of-this-that-by-going-much-alone-a-man-will-get-more-of-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“He had his life—it was not worth much—not like a life that, though ended, had truly been something. If I had had courage, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/he-had-his-life-it-was-not-worth-much-not-like-a-life-that-though/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [The future is an empty canvas or a blank sheet of paper, and if you have the courage of your own thought and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-future-is-an-empty-canvas-or-a-blank-sheet-of-paper-and-if-you/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [“...alone in this city, alone on this sea. The days were strewn about him, he was a drunkard of days. He had achieved nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/alone-in-this-city-alone-on-this-sea-the-days-were-strewn-about-him/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [“When some women felt fear, they covered it with an iron grate of courage, I thought. Men might be dangerous, but they were very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-brickl/when-some-women-felt-fear-they-covered-it-with-an-iron-grate-of/) [Kelsey Brickl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-brickl/) > [You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-can-practice-any-virtue-erratically-but-nothing-consistently/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/avoiding-danger-is-no-safer-in-the-long-run-than-exposure/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Don't wait until you die to learn the warrior's way. Do it now, each night, just before you drift off to sleep. As you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/don-t-wait-until-you-die-to-learn-the-warrior-s-way-do-it-now-each/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [“Love is a holy mystery and ought to be hidden from all other eyes, whatever happens. That makes it holier and better. They respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/love-is-a-holy-mystery-and-ought-to-be-hidden-from-all-other-eyes/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-forces-that-tend-for-evil-are-great-and-terrible-but-the-forces/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## More by Katherine Rundell > [Books crowbar the world open for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/books-crowbar-the-world-open-for-you/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“She hated official letters. They made her feel nervous. The people who wrote them sounded like they had filing cabinets where their hearts should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/she-hated-official-letters-they-made-her-feel-nervous-the-people-who/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [It's like eight thousand birds, Charles! Charles! Isn't it like eight thousand birds?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/it-s-like-eight-thousand-birds-charles-charles-isn-t-it-like-eight/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“Why didn’t she keep looking?” “My darling, because she is an adult.” Sophie ducked behind her hair. Her face was hot and tight and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/why-didn-t-she-keep-looking-my-darling-because-she-is-an-adult-sophie/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“When Sophie had first learned to read, Charles had kept the whisky in a bottle labeled CAT'S URINE, so that Sophie would not touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/when-sophie-had-first-learned-to-read-charles-had-kept-the-whisky-in/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“Keep you secret, then, my darling. Everybody needs them. Secrets make you tough, and wily.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/keep-you-secret-then-my-darling-everybody-needs-them-secrets-make-you/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“Quite suddenly Sophie couldn't bear it. She pelted up to her bedroom, tripping over the stairs. The tears in her eyes were making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/quite-suddenly-sophie-couldn-t-bear-it-she-pelted-up-to-her-bedroom/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“The baby was almost certainly one year old. They knew this because of the red rosette pinned to her front, which read, 1! "Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/the-baby-was-almost-certainly-one-year-old-they-knew-this-because-of/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“But it's a child ! You're a man !" "Your powers of observation are formidable," said Charles. "You are a credit to your optician.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/but-it-s-a-child-you-re-a-man-your-powers-of-observation-are/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“If you have money to waste on wishes, you don't need the wishes as badly as I need the money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/if-you-have-money-to-waste-on-wishes-you-don-t-need-the-wishes-as/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [I do, I’m afraid, understand books far more readily than I understand people. Books are so easy to get along with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/i-do-i-m-afraid-understand-books-far-more-readily-than-i-understand/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“Governments can do both great and stupid things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/governments-can-do-both-great-and-stupid-things/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“Children are the toughest creatures on the planet, They endure”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/children-are-the-toughest-creatures-on-the-planet-they-endure/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“Adults are taught not to believe anything unless it is boring or ugly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/adults-are-taught-not-to-believe-anything-unless-it-is-boring-or-ugly/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“You look as though you own a minimum of one pony.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/you-look-as-though-you-own-a-minimum-of-one-pony/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) [Explore all 36 Katherine Rundell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) ## More Bravery quotes > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [“How could we explain that standing on a stage and speaking someone else's words as if they are your own is less an act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-rio/how-could-we-explain-that-standing-on-a-stage-and-speaking-someone/) [M.L. Rio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-rio/) > [There are those that say, if you do the uncomfortable thing long enough, it will become comfortable. But we are really not encouragers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/there-are-those-that-say-if-you-do-the-uncomfortable-thing-long/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Courage is the skill of being the only one who knows your scared to death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/courage-is-the-skill-of-being-the-only-one-who-knows-your-scared-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Fearing our confrontations is one thing... facing them unarmed is a completely different matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-boyer-2/fearing-our-confrontations-is-one-thing-facing-them-unarmed-is-a/) [Mark W. Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-boyer-2/) > [Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bravery-is-the-capacity-to-perform-properly-even-when-scared-half-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To be able to live and train in Iraq under these circumstances you need to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-able-to-live-and-train-in-iraq-under-these-circumstances-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/every-person-has-the-power-to-change-their-fate-if-they-are-brave/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [All the world's bravery that delights our eyes is but thy several liveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-cowley/all-the-world-s-bravery-that-delights-our-eyes-is-but-thy-several/) [Abraham Cowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-cowley/) > [“We were taught to be good, and we were taught to be careful. But in this world, sometimes, I do not think we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-bennett/we-were-taught-to-be-good-and-we-were-taught-to-be-careful-but-in/) [Marguerite Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-bennett/) > [Fortune helps the brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence/fortune-helps-the-brave/) [Terence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence/) > [“A ‘good’ father will tenderly cultivate his children. But a ‘good’ father who is also a ‘brave’ father will let the children without cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/a-good-father-will-tenderly-cultivate-his-children-but-a-good-father/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [These are the men who, without virtue, labour, or hazard, are growing rich, as their country is impoverished; they rejoice, when obstinacy or ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/these-are-the-men-who-without-virtue-labour-or-hazard-are-growing/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Now I have the bravery to do fine things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriela-sabatini/now-i-have-the-bravery-to-do-fine-things/) [Gabriela Sabatini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriela-sabatini/) [Browse all 1,663 Bravery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Perhaps, she thought, that’s what love does. It’s not there to make you feel special. It’s to make you brave. It was like a ration pack in the desert, she thought, like a box of matches in a dark wood. Love and courage, thought Sophie—two words for the same thing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Katherine Rundell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-does-it-s-not-there-to-make-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bravery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-does-it-s-not-there-to-make-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/katherine-rundell-17722_bravery_perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-doe_629212.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/katherine-rundell-17722_bravery_perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-doe_629212.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/katherine-rundell-17722_bravery_perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-doe_629212.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Perhaps, she thought, that’s what love does. It’s not there to make you feel special. It’s to make you…” — Katherine Rundell", "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": "Katherine Rundell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Perhaps, she thought, that’s what love...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-does-it-s-not-there-to-make-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/perhaps-she-thought-that-s-what-love-does-it-s-not-there-to-make-you/#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 } } ] } ```