--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We receive love — from our children as…" description: "\"We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly in proportion to our own c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/rollo-may-1295_capacity_we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-wel_182225.jpg" --- # We receive love — from our children as well as others… ![“We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly in proportion to our own capacity to love.” quote by Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/rollo-may-1295_capacity_we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-wel_182225.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/rollo-may-1295_capacity_we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-wel_182225.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/rollo-may-1295_capacity_we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-wel_182225.jpg) > “We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly in proportion to our own capacity to love.” [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love received mirrors our own capacity to love, not our demands or sacrifices. **In simple terms:** We get love based on how much we give love. Key Takeaway Expand your ability to love to receive more. Themes love reciprocity self-awareness Mood hopeful introspective Type psychological motivational When to use this quote - family relationships - friendships - community building - therapy Key Concepts empathy emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What limits your capacity to love? - How can you cultivate more unconditional love? A Different Perspective If you love selfishly, love may feel scarce. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capacity to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capacity-to-love/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [We receive love roughly in proportion to our capacity to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-roughly-in-proportion-to-our-capacity-to-love/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [We receive love . . not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly in proportion to our own capacity to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/we-receive-love-not-in-proportion-to-our-demands-or-sacrifices-or/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“It is very important that we have the capacity to love many different things or people at the same time. Our love should radiate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-toney-horton/it-is-very-important-that-we-have-the-capacity-to-love-many-different/) [Peggy Toney Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-toney-horton/) > [I'd known that I had the capacity to love, that I enjoyed seeing other people be happy, that I had a real awe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/i-d-known-that-i-had-the-capacity-to-love-that-i-enjoyed-seeing-other/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [The capacity to be alone is the capacity to love. It may look paradoxical to you, but it's not. It is an existential truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-capacity-to-be-alone-is-the-capacity-to-love-it-may-look-3/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [The greater your capacity to love, the greater your capacity to feel the pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greater-your-capacity-to-love-the-greater-your-capacity-to-feel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The capacity to be alone is the capacity to love. It may look paradoxical to you, but it is not. It is an existential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-capacity-to-be-alone-is-the-capacity-to-love-it-may-look-2/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“please don't carry my love for you with you forever. but don't let that be all. our capacity to love is vast - all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-noble/please-don-t-carry-my-love-for-you-with-you-forever-but-don-t-let/) [Elizabeth Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-noble/) > [My children inspire me with their innocence and enormous capacity to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-canals-barrera/my-children-inspire-me-with-their-innocence-and-enormous-capacity-to/) [Maria Canals Barrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-canals-barrera/) > [The more people one has to love, the more one's capacity to love stretches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/the-more-people-one-has-to-love-the-more-one-s-capacity-to-love/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [“The capacity to be alone is the capacity to love. It may look paradoxical to you, but it's not. It is an existential truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-capacity-to-be-alone-is-the-capacity-to-love-it-may-look/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [Most people see the problem of love as that of being loved, rather than that of loving, of one's capacity to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/most-people-see-the-problem-of-love-as-that-of-being-loved-rather/) Pacifiersucker > [Only a deep attention to the whole of our life can bring us the capacity to love well and live freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/only-a-deep-attention-to-the-whole-of-our-life-can-bring-us-the/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“How can there be love without a true choice? Would you suggest that man be stripped of the capacity to love?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/how-can-there-be-love-without-a-true-choice-would-you-suggest-that/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [...there was some kind of connection between the capacity to love and the capacity to love \*running\*. The engineering was certainly the same: both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/there-was-some-kind-of-connection-between-the-capacity-to-love-and/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) ## More by Rollo May > [Human freedom involves our capacity to pause between the stimulus and response and, in that pause, to choose the one response toward which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/human-freedom-involves-our-capacity-to-pause-between-the-stimulus-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Political freedom is to be cherished indeed. But there is no political freedom that is not indissolubly bound to the inner personal freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/political-freedom-is-to-be-cherished-indeed-but-there-is-no-political/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Joy is the effect which comes when we use our powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-effect-which-comes-when-we-use-our-powers/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [In religion, it is not the sycophants or those who cling most faithfully to the status quo who are ultimately praised. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/in-religion-it-is-not-the-sycophants-or-those-who-cling-most/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One of the few blessings of living in an age of anxiety is that we are forced to become aware of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-of-the-few-blessings-of-living-in-an-age-of-anxiety-is-that-we/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Intimacy requires courage because risk is inescapable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/intimacy-requires-courage-because-risk-is-inescapable/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Artists do not run away from non-being, but by encountering and wrestling with it, force it to produce being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/artists-do-not-run-away-from-non-being-but-by-encountering-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“Technology is the knack of so arranging the world that we do not experience it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/technology-is-the-knack-of-so-arranging-the-world-that-we-do-not/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [By the creative act, we are able to reach beyond our own death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/by-the-creative-act-we-are-able-to-reach-beyond-our-own-death/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Joy is the zest that you get out of using your talents, your understanding, the totality of your being, for great aims...That's the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-zest-that-you-get-out-of-using-your-talents-your/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One must have at least a readiness to love the other person, broadly speaking, if one is to be able to understand him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-must-have-at-least-a-readiness-to-love-the-other-person-broadly/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Man is the "ethical animal" ethical in potentiality even if, unfortunately, not in actuality. His capacity for ethical judgment like freedom, reason and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/man-is-the-ethical-animal-ethical-in-potentiality-even-if/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-opposite-of-courage-in-our-society-is-not-cowardice-it-is/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [The personal freedom to think & feel & speak authentically & to be conscious of so doing is the quality that distinguishes us as human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-personal-freedom-to-think-feel-speak-authentically-to-be/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) [Explore all 259 Rollo May quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## More Capacity quotes > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Man has an almost infinite capacity for taking things and people for granted and thereby missing out on the pleasure of being grateful that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/man-has-an-almost-infinite-capacity-for-taking-things-and-people-for/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [I was only operating at about 80% of my capacity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-was-only-operating-at-about-80-of-my-capacity/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Disappointment contains an appointment for doing much better. High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [For years mental health professionals taught people that they could be psychologically healthy without social support, that “unless you love yourself, no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-d-perry/for-years-mental-health-professionals-taught-people-that-they-could/) [Bruce D. Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-d-perry/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [“Teach honesty by all means - you do know what it is, don't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/teach-honesty-by-all-means-you-do-know-what-it-is-don-t-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [Human freedom involves our capacity to pause between the stimulus and response and, in that pause, to choose the one response toward which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/human-freedom-involves-our-capacity-to-pause-between-the-stimulus-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [he cult of productivity has its place, but worshipping at its altar daily robs us of the very capacity for joy and wonder that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-popova/he-cult-of-productivity-has-its-place-but-worshipping-at-its-altar/) [Maria Popova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-popova/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bravery-is-the-capacity-to-perform-properly-even-when-scared-half-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 3,320 Capacity quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly in proportion to our own capacity to love.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rollo May" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-well-as-others-not-in-proportion/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Capacity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-well-as-others-not-in-proportion/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/rollo-may-1295_capacity_we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-wel_182225.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/rollo-may-1295_capacity_we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-wel_182225.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/rollo-may-1295_capacity_we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-wel_182225.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or…” — Rollo May", "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": "Rollo May", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We receive love — from our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-well-as-others-not-in-proportion/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-well-as-others-not-in-proportion/#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 } } ] } ```