--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes, one yearns for something.For…" description: "\"“Sometimes, one yearns for something.For the ultimate in happiness. I yearn for it,and don't know where to look for it any longer. And I don't know if ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/mary-balogh-914_giving-and-receiving_sometimes-one-yearns-for-something-for-t_2029895.png" --- # Sometimes, one yearns for something.For the ultimate in… ![“Sometimes, one yearns for something.For the ultimate in happiness. I yearn for it,and don't know where to look for it any longer. And I don't know if I would recognize it if I found it. And the longer I look, the more selfish I grow.For I think only of my own happiness. i think I have lost the…” quote by Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/mary-balogh-914_giving-and-receiving_sometimes-one-yearns-for-something-for-t_2029895.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/mary-balogh-914_giving-and-receiving_sometimes-one-yearns-for-something-for-t_2029895.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/mary-balogh-914_giving-and-receiving_sometimes-one-yearns-for-something-for-t_2029895.png) > ““Sometimes, one yearns for something.For the ultimate in happiness. I yearn for it,and don't know where to look for it any longer. And I don't know if I would recognize it if I found it. And the longer I look, the more selfish I grow.For I think only of my own happiness. i think I have lost the ability to make someone else happy. If I ever had it. And I suppose we can never be happy unless we can also give happiness.”” [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects a yearning for ultimate happiness while recognizing that true fulfillment involves giving happiness to others, not just seeking personal joy. **In simple terms:** Happiness requires both receiving and giving. Key Takeaway Seek joy through helping others. Themes happiness selfishness giving self‑realization Mood contemplative hopeful melancholic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - volunteering - mental health - spiritual growth Key Concepts altruism existential longing self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - Can you identify ways you can give joy today? - What does happiness look like when shared? A Different Perspective Happiness cannot be sustained if it is purely self‑focused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving and receiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-and-receiving/) [Giving love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-love/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-think/) [Happiness Yearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-yearn-3722074/) [Life lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-lessons/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Think Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-happiness/) [Unless Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unless-happiness-2832099/) ## Related quotes > [I don't want to make people cry - unless it's with happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-march/i-don-t-want-to-make-people-cry-unless-it-s-with-happiness/) [Chris March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-march/) > [Some people have a view of self and of the universe that obliges them to struggle for happiness, to yearn for happiness-"some time in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/some-people-have-a-view-of-self-and-of-the-universe-that-obliges-them/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [I want to be careful not to throw all this away. 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When you have love, give it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-you-find-love-keep-it-when-you-have-love-give-it/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Keep dreaming, Keep hoping, Keep loving Keep giving, keep motivating, Keep forgiving, Keep praying, Keep tithing, Keep sharing your testimony.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/keep-dreaming-keep-hoping-keep-loving-keep-giving-keep-motivating/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Joy of giving, joy of receiving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/joy-of-giving-joy-of-receiving/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Giving is an act of generosity. Giving is sowing a seed. 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He guessed that she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/what-sort-of-man-could-you-love-for-a-lifetime-he-asked-her-she-was/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“Even at its darkest moment, life was a precious gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/even-at-its-darkest-moment-life-was-a-precious-gift/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“Sometimes children do not realize by how fragile a thread their security hangs. Perhaps it is as well they do not - most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/sometimes-children-do-not-realize-by-how-fragile-a-thread-their/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“Would she be able to bear never seeing him again? 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It just is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/love-does-not-deck-the-beloved-in-chains-it-just-is/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“This is your home,’ he said. ‘You are mistress of Finchley Park, Vanessa. You may do whatever you wish.’ Her smile broadened. ‘Within reason,’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/this-is-your-home-he-said-you-are-mistress-of-finchley-park-vanessa/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“She bit her lower lip hard and blinked her eyes. There was such wistfulness and longing in his voice. Oh, she was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/she-bit-her-lower-lip-hard-and-blinked-her-eyes-there-was-such/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“following spring to find himself a”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/following-spring-to-find-himself-a/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“But that is what life is all about, he said. "It is about dreaming and making those dreams come true with effort and determination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/but-that-is-what-life-is-all-about-he-said-it-is-about-dreaming-and/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [“One could not change the past anyway. Why let it blight the present and the future?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/one-could-not-change-the-past-anyway-why-let-it-blight-the-present/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [I prefer to believe the opposite - that there is always an indestructible beauty at the heart of darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/i-prefer-to-believe-the-opposite-that-there-is-always-an/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) [Explore all 298 Mary Balogh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) ## More Giving and receiving quotes > [“Successful friendships are established on both giving and receiving. Develop a heart to give not only to receive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arthur/successful-friendships-are-established-on-both-giving-and-receiving/) [John Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arthur/) > [Love is not a thing to understand. Love is not a thing to feel. 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We can look for every opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/some-tension-is-necessary-for-the-soul-to-grow-and-we-can-put-that/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [“If a lady offers you a kindness, you absolutely have to accept”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-wallingford/if-a-lady-offers-you-a-kindness-you-absolutely-have-to-accept/) [Maria Wallingford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-wallingford/) > [Giving and receiving love can make life so beautiful!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/giving-and-receiving-love-can-make-life-so-beautiful/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just wanted to make sure that yes, that those horror - they worked as a genre. To me, I just wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-farmiga/i-just-wanted-to-make-sure-that-yes-that-those-horror-they-worked-as/) [Vera Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-farmiga/) > [Give and Take... For to the bee a flower is a fountain if life And to the flower a bee is a messenger of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/give-and-take-for-to-the-bee-a-flower-is-a-fountain-if-life-and-to/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [“connection as “the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-as-the-energy-that-exists-between-people-when-they-feel/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [To give and receive advice - the former with freedom, and yet without bitterness, the latter with patience and without irritation - is peculiarly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/to-give-and-receive-advice-the-former-with-freedom-and-yet-without/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“God divided man into men that they might help each other.' Their strength lies in their mutual help, their pleasure is in their mutual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/god-divided-man-into-men-that-they-might-help-each-other-their/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [“No man lives without jostling and being jostled; in all ways he has to elbow himself through the world, giving and receiving offense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-man-lives-without-jostling-and-being-jostled-in-all-ways-he-has-to/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“When you ask for what you need and receive what people and the world have to give, you open up pathways you couldn’t see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-owen/when-you-ask-for-what-you-need-and-receive-what-people-and-the-world/) [Amanda Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-owen/) > [“The more you divide, the more it yields dividends. Give more, get more!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-bryan-abakah/the-more-you-divide-the-more-it-yields-dividends-give-more-get-more/) [Ned Bryan Abakah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-bryan-abakah/) [Browse all 168 Giving and receiving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-and-receiving/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sometimes, one yearns for something.For the ultimate in happiness. I yearn for it,and don't know where to look for it any longer. And I don't know if I would recognize it if I found it. And the longer I look, the more selfish I grow.For I think only of my own happiness. i think I have lost the ability to make someone else happy. If I ever had it. 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