--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Giving and taking comfort in everything…" description: "\"“Giving and taking comfort in everything they could give and take, every part of them sought to make themselves one till it was impossible for either t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/109/laird-koenig-55499_comforted_giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything_316108.jpg" --- # Giving and taking comfort in everything they could give… ![“Giving and taking comfort in everything they could give and take, every part of them sought to make themselves one till it was impossible for either to know the comforter from the one being comforted.” quote by Laird Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/109/laird-koenig-55499_comforted_giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything_316108.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/109/laird-koenig-55499_comforted_giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything_316108.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/109/laird-koenig-55499_comforted_giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything_316108.jpg) > ““Giving and taking comfort in everything they could give and take, every part of them sought to make themselves one till it was impossible for either to know the comforter from the one being comforted.”” [Laird Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-koenig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mutual intimacy can blur boundaries, making it hard to distinguish giver from receiver. **In simple terms:** Close relationships can erase the line between helping and being helped. Key Takeaway Maintain healthy boundaries in close relationships. Themes relationships intimacy identity boundaries dependence Mood reflective thoughtful Type psychological philosophical When to use this quote - marriage - friendship - therapy - counseling Key Concepts self‑other merging emotional reciprocity psychological enmeshment Questions to Reflect On - When do shared comforts become loss of self? - How to keep identity in deep bonds? A Different Perspective The description may romanticize unhealthy codependency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving and taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-and-taking/) ## Related quotes > [Giving and taking of orders modifies actions and results, but does not of itself effect a sharing of purposes, a communication of interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/giving-and-taking-of-orders-modifies-actions-and-results-but-does-not/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The art of love-giving and taking become one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-art-of-love-giving-and-taking-become-one/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Relationships are about giving and taking, unfortunately some people take more than there are willing to give.Cool..if you are the poorest beggar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rezahanapi/relationships-are-about-giving-and-taking-unfortunately-some-people-2/) [Rezahanapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rezahanapi/) > [Love is the reciprocity of giving and taking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann-the-great-poet/love-is-the-reciprocity-of-giving-and-taking/) Sir Kristian Goldmund Aumann The Great Poet > [“The Word must be taken into our heart or it is lost by all the circumstances. Those who hear the Word and do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-richards/the-word-must-be-taken-into-our-heart-or-it-is-lost-by-all-the/) Jim Richards > [“We give something, and that opens the possibility of receiving: we naturally receive something when we give. This is how we live, whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogyen-trinley-dorje/we-give-something-and-that-opens-the-possibility-of-receiving-we/) [Ogyen Trinley Dorje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogyen-trinley-dorje/) > [“The world is frenzied—giving and taking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/the-world-is-frenzied-giving-and-taking/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [Relationships are about giving and taking, unfortunately some people take more than there are willing to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/relationships-are-about-giving-and-taking-unfortunately-some-people/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [I have come to believe that giving and receiving are really the same. Giving and receiving - not giving and taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-grenfell/i-have-come-to-believe-that-giving-and-receiving-are-really-the-same/) [Joyce Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-grenfell/) > [“And though there was something pathetic about it—taking comfort in her left-behind things like a puppy snuggled in an old coat...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/and-though-there-was-something-pathetic-about-it-taking-comfort-in/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [“It would be useless to tell him that I'm done sacrificing other people for my own gain. I won't whip innocent kitchen workers, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/it-would-be-useless-to-tell-him-that-i-m-done-sacrificing-other/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [Where there is giving there must be taking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/where-there-is-giving-there-must-be-taking/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“If you´re giving more than you´re taking, you´re building legacy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/if-you-re-giving-more-than-you-re-taking-you-re-building-legacy/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [Something you can give and receive, a thing you can share, something people enjoy, give up? It's love. Always there for the giving, always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepsicle/something-you-can-give-and-receive-a-thing-you-can-share-something/) Pepsicle > [It's not right for one friend to do all the giving and the other to do all the taking, that it not friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-right-for-one-friend-to-do-all-the-giving-and-the-other-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Laird Koenig > [“One Sunday evening when it was very hot and breathlessly still we sere sitting here in this room in the dusk. He switched on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/one-sunday-evening-when-it-was-very-hot-and-breathlessly-still-we/) [Laird Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-koenig/) > [“How did I know how to do that to a body? Is that what you want to know?" The boy, holding the tea tray,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/how-did-i-know-how-to-do-that-to-a-body-is-that-what-you-want-to-know/) [Laird Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-koenig/) > [“The night, a living presence, was in constant motion, shifting itself, sighing, breathing. She wondered if perhaps it, too, was trying to get warm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/the-night-a-living-presence-was-in-constant-motion-shifting-itself/) [Laird Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-koenig/) > [“The game is pretending. It's going through the motions of life. But it's not living. The game is for people who want rules because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/the-game-is-pretending-it-s-going-through-the-motions-of-life-but-it/) [Laird Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-koenig/) > [“My father says most people who say they like poetry only pretend to like it.' 'I guess you like it?' 'I love it very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/my-father-says-most-people-who-say-they-like-poetry-only-pretend-to/) [Laird Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-koenig/) [Explore all 6 Laird Koenig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-koenig/) ## More Comforted quotes > [“Of all the things we fashioned for them that they might be comforted, dawn is the one that works. When darkness sifts from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/of-all-the-things-we-fashioned-for-them-that-they-might-be-comforted/) [John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/) > [“Be comforted! If there are people who can't stand to be around you, just remember that darkness hates light and deceit hates truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-hope-wagner/be-comforted-if-there-are-people-who-can-t-stand-to-be-around-you/) [Alisa Hope Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-hope-wagner/) > [“It was the way your sweet, soft hands wiped away my tears, and the way your body just curved into mine when you let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-ashley/it-was-the-way-your-sweet-soft-hands-wiped-away-my-tears-and-the-way/) [Katie Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-ashley/) > [“The shadows had him in their grasp. There was no escape. You don’t have to escape, the voice in his head said. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-warren/the-shadows-had-him-in-their-grasp-there-was-no-escape-you-don-t-have/) [Andrew Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-warren/) > [Be comforted, dear soul! There is always light behind the clouds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/be-comforted-dear-soul-there-is-always-light-behind-the-clouds/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Children be comforted, I am well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-haydn/children-be-comforted-i-am-well/) [Joseph Haydn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-haydn/) > [I could only try to comfort the women that I came face-to-face with. I was really moved by how much they wanted to talk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-sellecca/i-could-only-try-to-comfort-the-women-that-i-came-face-to-face-with-i/) [Connie Sellecca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-sellecca/) > [“If I am to become a delicate cloud upon the sky, I must first convince the ground that I am not abandoning her. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-i-am-to-become-a-delicate-cloud-upon-the-sky-i-must-first-convince/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Lists comforted her - they gave her a sense of accomplishment - they meant she had control of something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-cassidy/lists-comforted-her-they-gave-her-a-sense-of-accomplishment-they/) [Dakota Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-cassidy/) > [“Let the pain & suffering of all that appears to be lost, be soothed, healed & comforted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleesha/let-the-pain-suffering-of-all-that-appears-to-be-lost-be-soothed/) [Eleesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleesha/) > [I lost you a long time ago, but I didn't know. How could I not? You watched me cry and it makes you laugh.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylynn-thompson/i-lost-you-a-long-time-ago-but-i-didn-t-know-how-could-i-not-you/) [Kaylynn Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylynn-thompson/) > [I knew I wanted to be a part of storytelling. I knew that going to see movies and plays, I wanted to be connected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hechinger/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-a-part-of-storytelling-i-knew-that-going-to-see/) [Fred Hechinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hechinger/) > [“Only those burdened with a common affliction understand each other. Thanks to their affliction they constitute a circle and provide each other mutual support.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/only-those-burdened-with-a-common-affliction-understand-each-other/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“And in blessing him I was blessed, And in comforting him I was comforted…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-coupe/and-in-blessing-him-i-was-blessed-and-in-comforting-him-i-was/) [Jessica Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-coupe/) > [I curled closer to May, comforted by her warmth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/i-curled-closer-to-may-comforted-by-her-warmth/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) Browse all 135 Comforted quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Giving and taking comfort in everything they could give and take, every part of them sought to make themselves one till it was impossible for either to know the comforter from the one being comforted.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laird Koenig" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything-they-could-give-and-take/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comforted" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything-they-could-give-and-take/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/109/laird-koenig-55499_comforted_giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything_316108.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/109/laird-koenig-55499_comforted_giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything_316108.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/109/laird-koenig-55499_comforted_giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything_316108.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Giving and taking comfort in everything they could give and take, every part of them sought to make…” — Laird Koenig", "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": "Laird Koenig", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-koenig/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Giving and taking comfort in everything...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything-they-could-give-and-take/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-koenig/giving-and-taking-comfort-in-everything-they-could-give-and-take/#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 } } ] } ```