--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot stay,\" he lied for me, eyes…" description: "\"“I cannot stay,\" he lied for me, eyes averted. \"I'm only going to be here for a time, then leave you.\" His gaze met mine. \"And I will cry when I go, be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/kim-harrison-323_forever_i-cannot-stay-he-lied-for-me-eyes-averte_2479922.png" --- # I cannot stay," he lied for me, eyes averted. "I'm only… ![“I cannot stay," he lied for me, eyes averted. "I'm only going to be here for a time, then leave you." His gaze met mine. "And I will cry when I go, because I could love you forever.” quote by Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/kim-harrison-323_forever_i-cannot-stay-he-lied-for-me-eyes-averte_2479922.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/kim-harrison-323_forever_i-cannot-stay-he-lied-for-me-eyes-averte_2479922.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/kim-harrison-323_forever_i-cannot-stay-he-lied-for-me-eyes-averte_2479922.png) > ““I cannot stay," he lied for me, eyes averted. "I'm only going to be here for a time, then leave you." His gaze met mine. "And I will cry when I go, because I could love you forever.”” [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A lover confesses that they will eventually leave, yet their love endures beyond separation, causing inevitable sorrow. **In simple terms:** Love persists even when parting is inevitable. Key Takeaway Cherish love while present. Themes love parting loneliness Mood melancholy reflective Type literary romantic When to use this quote - relationships - breakups - long-distance love - grief Key Concepts attachment transience emotional conflict Questions to Reflect On - Can love survive absence? - How do we cope with inevitable loss? A Different Perspective Love may fade after departure, challenging the promise of forever. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Leave Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave-gaze-851992/) [Lied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lied/) [Lied Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lied-eyes-851990/) [Love you forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-you-forever/) [Stay Lied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-lied-851991/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I'm only going to be here for a time, then leave you." His gaze met mine. "And I will cry when I go, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-m-only-going-to-be-here-for-a-time-then-leave-you-his-gaze-met-mine/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“My tongue lied my eyes shouted the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-tongue-lied-my-eyes-shouted-the-truth/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“My words lied.My eyes and my arm shouted out the truth,but you were not seeing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-words-lied-my-eyes-and-my-arm-shouted-out-the-truth-but-you-were/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [I'll always be here," he said softly. "You can never fill my need, never drive me away, no matter how much you give me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-ll-always-be-here-he-said-softly-you-can-never-fill-my-need-never/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“My beloved Jay, remember me. Call my name every day. If you think of me and are with me, The infinite power of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/my-beloved-jay-remember-me-call-my-name-every-day-if-you-think-of-me/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [I will love you forever, he thought. I am lying, he thought, and this time he was right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-will-love-you-forever-he-thought-i-am-lying-he-thought-and-this/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I realized it today I will love you forever Even if you love me never I love you I really know, Because its so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-realized-it-today-i-will-love-you-forever-even-if-you-love-me-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One day, someone will be 100% honest with you, and will love you forever. 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You are the one and only in my heart forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevent-mcwondal/i-want-to-stay-close-to-you-no-matter-what-because-i-love-you-you-are/) [Stevent McWondal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevent-mcwondal/) > [If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart. I'll stay there forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-there-ever-comes-a-day-when-we-can-t-be-together-keep-me-in-your-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish I could spend the rest of my life with you forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-i-could-spend-the-rest-of-my-life-with-you-forever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To see how far I love you, just look at the sky, as sure it is forever, always love you forever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-see-how-far-i-love-you-just-look-at-the-sky-as-sure-it-is-forever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish that one day you would finally realize that the person that is willing to love you forever is the person you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khat-leen/i-wish-that-one-day-you-would-finally-realize-that-the-person-that-is/) [Khat Leen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khat-leen/) ## More by Kim Harrison > [Maybe I could be friends with a ghost. I wouldn’t be able to kill him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/maybe-i-could-be-friends-with-a-ghost-i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-kill-him/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [My God", he whispered. What have I done to her? He thought, humbled. The spell was broken, but it wasn't sealed, and her soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/my-god-he-whispered-what-have-i-done-to-her-he-thought-humbled-the/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I turned back to the mirror, seeing that there were no lines on it. It was empty. "What happened to my mirror?" I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-turned-back-to-the-mirror-seeing-that-there-were-no-lines-on-it-it/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“Half of it was meticulously arranged as an office with her computer - faster and more powerful than an industrial-sized package of laxative -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/half-of-it-was-meticulously-arranged-as-an-office-with-her-computer/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [Actually,” I said, hesitant to bring it up, “I was thinking along the lines of a curse that can turn you human.” “Or witch?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/actually-i-said-hesitant-to-bring-it-up-i-was-thinking-along-the/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“I’m giving you fair warning, Mr. Cormel. 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If it was easy, then everyone would find it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-m-not-afraid-of-love-being-difficult-if-it-was-easy-then-everyone/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) [Explore all 672 Kim Harrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) ## More Forever quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [“I believe in forever, and that’s what you and I are. We define eternity. 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You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [When you find someone you want to spend forever with you, you don't let them go, whether forever turns out to be a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/when-you-find-someone-you-want-to-spend-forever-with-you-you-don-t/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [What does forever mean to you? When you couldnt even keep it true You said were youd forever be there But were those just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/what-does-forever-mean-to-you-when-you-couldnt-even-keep-it-true-you/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [Forever is a really long time, you know? What do you do with forever?" "The same thing you do when you don't have forever."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/forever-is-a-really-long-time-you-know-what-do-you-do-with-forever/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) > [Whole scenes of your life slip away forever if you don't put them down in ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silas-house/whole-scenes-of-your-life-slip-away-forever-if-you-don-t-put-them/) [Silas House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silas-house/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [It all depends on you. You can go on sleeping forever, you can wake up right this moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/it-all-depends-on-you-you-can-go-on-sleeping-forever-you-can-wake-up/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. 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