Fall in love Quote by Lionel Shriver
““It was really rather wretched that you couldn’t will yourself to fall in love, for the very effort can keep falling at bay. Nor could you will yourself to stay that way. Least of all could you will yourself NOT to fall in love, for thus far whatever meager resistance she had put up had only made the compulsion more intense. So you were perpetually tyrannized by a feeling that came and went as it pleased, like a cat with its own pet door. How much more agreeable, if love were something that you stirred up from a reliable recipe, or elected, however perversely, to pour down the drain. Still, there was nothing for it. The popular expression notwithstanding, love was not something you made. Nor could you dispose of the stuff once manifested because it was inconvenient, or even because it was wicked, and ruining your life, and, by the by, someone else’s.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Mandibles, 2016
Love cannot be forced or willed; it arises despite resistance and often disrupts rational plans.
In simple terms: Love is uncontrollable and can’t be planned.
Key Takeaway
Recognize love’s autonomy.
Themes
love
willpower
resistance
Mood
introspective
melancholic
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- relationships
- self‑reflection
- emotional health
Key Concepts
psychology
romantic idealism
Questions to Reflect On
- Can you let love flow without trying to master it?
- What does resisting love reveal about yourself?
A Different Perspective
Attempting to control love may intensify longing and frustration.
