Comes and goes Quote by Margaret Atwood
“And sometimes it happened, for a time. That kind of love comes and goes and is hard to remember afterwards, like pain. You would look at the man one day and you would think, I loved you, and the tense would be past, and you would be filled with a sense of wonder, because it was such an amazing and precarious and dumb thing to have done; and you would know too why your friends have been evasive about it, at the time.”
About This Quote
Love can be fleeting and painful, leaving a vague, wondrous memory that feels both extraordinary and foolish.
In simple terms: Love can be brief and painful, yet unforgettable.
Key Takeaway
Cherish moments but accept impermanence.
Themes
love
memory
impermanence
wonder
pain
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- breakup
- short‑term romance
- reflecting on past relationships
Key Concepts
transience
nostalgia
emotional complexity
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “wonder” reveal about how we process brief love?
- How do we reconcile joy and pain in such memories?
A Different Perspective
Love’s intensity may fade, making it hard to recall details later.
