---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love is not getting, but giving. It is…"
description: "\"Love is not getting, but giving. It is sacrifice. And sacrifice is glorious!\" — Marion Milner"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/marion-milner-18189_generosity_love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sac_118167.jpg"
---

#  Love is not getting, but giving. It is sacrifice. And…

![“Love is not getting, but giving. It is sacrifice. And sacrifice is glorious!” quote by Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/marion-milner-18189_generosity_love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sac_118167.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/marion-milner-18189_generosity_love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sac_118167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/marion-milner-18189_generosity_love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sac_118167.jpg)

> “Love is not getting, but giving. It is sacrifice. And sacrifice is glorious!”

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Love is defined as selfless giving and sacrifice, which is portrayed as noble and uplifting.

**In simple terms:** Love = giving, sacrifice = glorious.

Key Takeaway

Self‑sacrifice elevates love to a heroic act.

Themes

love selflessness sacrifice

Mood

inspirational idealistic

Type

philosophical

When to use this quote

- marriage counseling
- volunteering
- parenting

Key Concepts

ethical philosophy emotional psychology

Practical Applications

- Practice acts of kindness without expectation
- Reflect on personal motivations for giving

Questions to Reflect On

- When does sacrifice become unhealthy?
- Can love exist without any element of giving?

A Different Perspective

Excessive sacrifice can lead to self‑neglect.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/)

## Related quotes

> [It is for us to discharge the high duties that devolve on us, and carry our race onward. To be no better, no wiser,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/it-is-for-us-to-discharge-the-high-duties-that-devolve-on-us-and/)

[William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/)

> [“T-4.II.6. Only those who have a real and lasting sense of abundance can be truly charitable. This is obvious when you consider what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foundation-for-inner-peace/t-4-ii-6-only-those-who-have-a-real-and-lasting-sense-of-abundance/)

[Foundation for Inner Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foundation-for-inner-peace/)

> [Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you sacrifice too much there’s nothing else you can give and nobody will care for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/don-t-sacrifice-yourself-too-much-because-if-you-sacrifice-too-much/)

[Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/)

> [So often public service comes with sacrifice. A sacrifice that our men and women in uniform make each day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-reynolds/so-often-public-service-comes-with-sacrifice-a-sacrifice-that-our-men/)

[Kim Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-reynolds/)

> [Jane: Mr. Rochester, if ever I did a good deed in my life-if ever I thought a good thought-if ever I prayed a sincere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/jane-mr-rochester-if-ever-i-did-a-good-deed-in-my-life-if-ever-i/)

[Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/)

> [We should tell ourselves once and for all that it is the first duty of the soul to become as happy, complete, independent, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/we-should-tell-ourselves-once-and-for-all-that-it-is-the-first-duty/)

[Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/)

> [A sacrifice is a sacrifice if someone make it wishfully, not when its forcibly taken from someone. \*senora\*](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/a-sacrifice-is-a-sacrifice-if-someone-make-it-wishfully-not-when-its/)

Senoraroy

> [There's only one effectively redemptive sacrifice, the sacrifice of self-will to make room for the knowledge of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/there-s-only-one-effectively-redemptive-sacrifice-the-sacrifice-of/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [“I couldn't let you sacrifice yourself for me." "Its not a sacrifice. My ambition has just changed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-marsden/i-couldn-t-let-you-sacrifice-yourself-for-me-its-not-a-sacrifice-my/)

Mariah Marsden

> [True love takes sacrifice. but if you were to sacrifice continues and he doesn't. it means you are being fooled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fendy/true-love-takes-sacrifice-but-if-you-were-to-sacrifice-continues-and/)

Fendy

> [Sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice! That's the condition of the female. Women have been conditioned to sacrifice for centuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-dodson/sacrifice-sacrifice-sacrifice-that-s-the-condition-of-the-female/)

[Betty Dodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-dodson/)

> [It's a human sign When things go wrong When the scent of her lingers And temptation's strong Into the boundary Of each married man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron/it-s-a-human-sign-when-things-go-wrong-when-the-scent-of-her-lingers/)

[AaRon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron/)

> [“The most desired gift of love is not diamonds or roses or chocolate. It is focused attention. Love concentrates so intently on another that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-most-desired-gift-of-love-is-not-diamonds-or-roses-or-chocolate-2/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [“Sacrifice! What do I sacrifice? Famine fo food, expectation for content. To be privileged to put my arms round what I value -- to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/sacrifice-what-do-i-sacrifice-famine-fo-food-expectation-for-content/)

[Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/)

> [You don't have love without sacrifice; you can't have sacrifice without love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kingsbury/you-don-t-have-love-without-sacrifice-you-can-t-have-sacrifice/)

[Karen Kingsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kingsbury/)

## More by Marion Milner

> [Sometimes I find that in my happy moments I could not believe that I had ever been miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/sometimes-i-find-that-in-my-happy-moments-i-could-not-believe-that-i/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [“By continual watching and expression I must learn to observe my thought and maintain a vigilance, not against “wrong” thoughts, but against refusal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/by-continual-watching-and-expression-i-must-learn-to-observe-my/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [Happiness not only needs no justification, but it is also the only final test of whether what I am doing is right for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/happiness-not-only-needs-no-justification-but-it-is-also-the-only/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [“Blind thinking… could make me pretend I was being true to myself when really I was only being true to an infantile fear and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/blind-thinking-could-make-me-pretend-i-was-being-true-to-myself-when/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [until you have, once at least, faced everything you know - the whole universe - with utter giving in, and let all that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/until-you-have-once-at-least-faced-everything-you-know-the-whole/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [Perhaps if one really knew when one was happy one would know the things that were necessary in one's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/perhaps-if-one-really-knew-when-one-was-happy-one-would-know-the/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [“Let no one think it is an easy way because it is concerned with moments of happiness rather than with stern duty or high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/let-no-one-think-it-is-an-easy-way-because-it-is-concerned-with/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [It's weak and despicable to go on wanting things and not trying to get them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/it-s-weak-and-despicable-to-go-on-wanting-things-and-not-trying-to/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [“If emotion and fatigue lowered the potency of thought, what raised it? I began to reconsider my moments of delight in terms of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/if-emotion-and-fatigue-lowered-the-potency-of-thought-what-raised-it/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [“I had just begun to ponder over the fact that all the things which I had found to be sources of happiness seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/i-had-just-begun-to-ponder-over-the-fact-that-all-the-things-which-i/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [“It struck me as odd that it had taken me so long to reach a feeling of sureness that there was something in me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/it-struck-me-as-odd-that-it-had-taken-me-so-long-to-reach-a-feeling/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [“Here then was a deadlock. I wanted to get the most out of life, but the more I tried to grasp, the more I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/here-then-was-a-deadlock-i-wanted-to-get-the-most-out-of-life-but-the/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [“I had been continually exhorted to define my purpose in life, but I was now beginning to doubt whether life might not be too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/i-had-been-continually-exhorted-to-define-my-purpose-in-life-but-i/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [I want to feel myself part of things, of the great drift and swirl: not cut off, missing things, like being sent to bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/i-want-to-feel-myself-part-of-things-of-the-great-drift-and-swirl-not/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

> [“I did not know that I could only get the most out of life by giving myself up to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/i-did-not-know-that-i-could-only-get-the-most-out-of-life-by-giving/)

[Marion Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

[Explore all 35 Marion Milner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/)

## More Generosity quotes

> [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/)

[Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/)

> [I would have none of that rigid circumspect charity which is never done without scrutiny, and which always mistrusts the truth of the necessities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-massillon/i-would-have-none-of-that-rigid-circumspect-charity-which-is-never/)

[Jean Baptiste Massillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-massillon/)

> [I'm publicist, patron of nine charities, creative director, food consultant, recipe developer - and mum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/i-m-publicist-patron-of-nine-charities-creative-director-food/)

[Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/)

> [The next time you're looking at a charity, don't ask about the rate of their overhead. Ask about the scale of their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-next-time-you-re-looking-at-a-charity-don-t-ask-about-the-rate-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Businesses acting as businesses, not as charitable donors, are the most powerful force for addressing the pressing issues society face(s)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-elumelu/businesses-acting-as-businesses-not-as-charitable-donors-are-the-most/)

Tony Elumelu

> [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/)

F. A. Harper

> [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [I think more and more people are becoming much more sensitive to what they do with their money when they die, especially if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-think-more-and-more-people-are-becoming-much-more-sensitive-to-what/)

[Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/)

> [Children must early learn the the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/children-must-early-learn-the-the-beauty-of-generosity-they-are/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I was always clear that I didn't want to just do pure charity. My thinking was definitely about looking at the levers in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-nilekani/i-was-always-clear-that-i-didn-t-want-to-just-do-pure-charity-my/)

[Rohini Nilekani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-nilekani/)

> [Love doesnt stake claims. It is free for the giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-minagar/love-doesnt-stake-claims-it-is-free-for-the-giving/)

[Melody Minagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-minagar/)

> [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [“Secure-attachment 7Rs show more generosity than average. Thus 7R has something to do with generosity—but its effect is entirely context dependent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/secure-attachment-7rs-show-more-generosity-than-average-thus-7r-has/)

[Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/)

[Browse all 3,867 Generosity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Love is not getting, but giving. It is sacrifice. And sacrifice is glorious!",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Marion Milner"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sacrifice-and-sacrifice-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Generosity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sacrifice-and-sacrifice-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/marion-milner-18189_generosity_love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sac_118167.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/marion-milner-18189_generosity_love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sac_118167.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/marion-milner-18189_generosity_love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sac_118167.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Love is not getting, but giving. It is sacrifice. And sacrifice is glorious!” — Marion Milner",
                "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": "Marion Milner",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-milner/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Love is not getting, but giving....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sacrifice-and-sacrifice-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-milner/love-is-not-getting-but-giving-it-is-sacrifice-and-sacrifice-is/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
