--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I used to love people for what they could…" description: "\"I used to love people for what they could be. I thought love was how hard you tried and how much you sacrificed and suffered. That is not love. Accepta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/michael-learned-30182_acceptance_i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-coul_1826312.jpg" --- # I used to love people for what they could be. I thought… ![“I used to love people for what they could be. I thought love was how hard you tried and how much you sacrificed and suffered. That is not love. Acceptance is.” quote by Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/michael-learned-30182_acceptance_i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-coul_1826312.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/michael-learned-30182_acceptance_i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-coul_1826312.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/michael-learned-30182_acceptance_i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-coul_1826312.jpg) > “I used to love people for what they could be. I thought love was how hard you tried and how much you sacrificed and suffered. That is not love. Acceptance is.” [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) ## 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 often mistaken for sacrifice; true love is acceptance without expectation of return. **In simple terms:** Love equals acceptance, not sacrifice. Key Takeaway Practice unconditional acceptance. Themes love acceptance relationships Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - relationships - self‑help - counseling Key Concepts selfless affection personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What does acceptance look like for you? - How can you differentiate love from sacrifice? A Different Perspective Acceptance can be hard to maintain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-acceptance/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [Oh, how everything that is suffered with love is healed again!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/oh-how-everything-that-is-suffered-with-love-is-healed-again/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [I used to love the feeling of running, of running too far. It made my skin tingle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-used-to-love-the-feeling-of-running-of-running-too-far-it-made-my/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I think I became a writer because I used to write letters to my friends, and I used to love writing them. I loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-think-i-became-a-writer-because-i-used-to-write-letters-to-my/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [I used to love stage above all, but that was when I was a single man. As I get older, the time commitment gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seamus-dever/i-used-to-love-stage-above-all-but-that-was-when-i-was-a-single-man/) [Seamus Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seamus-dever/) > [Cell phones, alas, have pretty much ruined train travel, which I used to love. I could read or even sketch notes for what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/cell-phones-alas-have-pretty-much-ruined-train-travel-which-i-used-to/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [We burned with love for ourselves, all of us, starters of the fire we suffered- our love was the affliction for which only our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/we-burned-with-love-for-ourselves-all-of-us-starters-of-the-fire-we/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Be careful, you are not in Wonderland. I've heard the strange madness long growing in your soul. But you are fortunate in your ignorance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-careful-you-are-not-in-wonderland-i-ve-heard-the-strange-madness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Desire radiated from him. It radiated out into the darkness and seemed to find the four walls of this enclosing place, and he turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/desire-radiated-from-him-it-radiated-out-into-the-darkness-and-seemed/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [I Suffered,I Cried,I Sacrificed A LotJust For YouDo You Want To Tell MeIt Meant Nothing To You?That You Felt Nothing For Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinku-razoria/i-suffered-i-cried-i-sacrificed-a-lotjust-for-youdo-you-want-to-tell/) [Tinku Razoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinku-razoria/) > [Love is acceptance - accepting people as they are. Just acceptance and caring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/love-is-acceptance-accepting-people-as-they-are-just-acceptance-and/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [Love, acceptance, friends, two kids that I love. I have to take care of myself for them. I've also been a vegetarian for two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/love-acceptance-friends-two-kids-that-i-love-i-have-to-take-care-of/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [More than anything else, judgment will take you out of the present moment. It will take you out of Oneness into separation. Whenever judgment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/more-than-anything-else-judgment-will-take-you-out-of-the-present/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [Love, acceptance, respect, to be desired, security, passion, are all things a woman may want in her relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/love-acceptance-respect-to-be-desired-security-passion-are-all-things/) Senoraroy > [We all want the same thing, love and acceptance. That's pretty much it. And what I've learned is that unless I'm happy with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-harding/we-all-want-the-same-thing-love-and-acceptance-that-s-pretty-much-it/) [Aldous Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-harding/) > [I release all criticism. I only give out that which I wish to receive in return. My love and acceptance of others is mirrored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/i-release-all-criticism-i-only-give-out-that-which-i-wish-to-receive/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) ## More by Michael Learned > [If you care about what you do, you don't want to let people down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/if-you-care-about-what-you-do-you-don-t-want-to-let-people-down/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [All of us from The Waltons still love each other. I think were closer than some real families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/all-of-us-from-the-waltons-still-love-each-other-i-think-were-closer/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I don't mean to insult television, but a lot of the time, it's pretty straightforward. If you say, 'I love you,' you mean 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-don-t-mean-to-insult-television-but-a-lot-of-the-time-it-s-pretty/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I'm grateful that I have a theater career because television isn't kind to you when you're over forty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-m-grateful-that-i-have-a-theater-career-because-television-isn-t/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I dont mean to insult television, but a lot of the time, its pretty straightforward. If you say, I love you, you mean I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-dont-mean-to-insult-television-but-a-lot-of-the-time-its-pretty/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [For a long time, I resisted seeing 'The Sound of Music,' but when I finally did, I cried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/for-a-long-time-i-resisted-seeing-the-sound-of-music-but-when-i/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I got married very young and put my career on the back burner for the most part because that's what you did in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-got-married-very-young-and-put-my-career-on-the-back-burner-for-the/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [Nobody can understand the pressures of doing an hour-long TV show unless you've done one. Even when you're not on call, you still are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/nobody-can-understand-the-pressures-of-doing-an-hour-long-tv-show/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I used to pride myself on the fact that I kept a house running and never burdened anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-used-to-pride-myself-on-the-fact-that-i-kept-a-house-running-and/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I got married at 17, had three kids by the time I was 24, and have never had much time alone. I never had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-got-married-at-17-had-three-kids-by-the-time-i-was-24-and-have/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I was certainly typecast for a while on television because I was always being cast as the 'compassionate mother' or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-was-certainly-typecast-for-a-while-on-television-because-i-was/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [All of us from 'The Waltons' still love each other. I think we're closer than some real families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/all-of-us-from-the-waltons-still-love-each-other-i-think-we-re-closer/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [When I was a girl, my grandmother would take me during the holidays to see the windows at Saks and Rockefeller Center.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/when-i-was-a-girl-my-grandmother-would-take-me-during-the-holidays-to/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [As an actor, one of my greatest fears is losing my memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/as-an-actor-one-of-my-greatest-fears-is-losing-my-memory/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I never had a driving ambition to be a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-star/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) [Explore all 17 Michael Learned quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I used to love people for what they could be. I thought love was how hard you tried and how much you sacrificed and suffered. That is not love. Acceptance is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Learned" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-could-be-i-thought-love-was-how/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acceptance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-could-be-i-thought-love-was-how/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/michael-learned-30182_acceptance_i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-coul_1826312.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/michael-learned-30182_acceptance_i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-coul_1826312.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/michael-learned-30182_acceptance_i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-coul_1826312.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I used to love people for what they could be. I thought love was how hard you tried and how much you…” — Michael Learned", "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": "Michael Learned", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I used to love people for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-could-be-i-thought-love-was-how/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-could-be-i-thought-love-was-how/#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 } } ] } ```