---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What did it take to claim a person…"
description: "\"“What did it take to claim a person, really? One perfect night? A few weeks of phone calls, hundreds of texts, all of them full of future plans and pro..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/sarah-dessen-110_future-plans_what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-reall_2602187.png"
---

#  What did it take to claim a person, really? One perfect…

![“What did it take to claim a person, really? One perfect night? A few weeks of phone calls, hundreds of texts, all of them full of future plans and promises made? I'd spent less than a day with Ethan, but still felt like he knew me better than just about anyone. You can't measure love by time put…” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/sarah-dessen-110_future-plans_what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-reall_2602187.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/sarah-dessen-110_future-plans_what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-reall_2602187.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/sarah-dessen-110_future-plans_what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-reall_2602187.png)

> ““What did it take to claim a person, really? One perfect night? A few weeks of phone calls, hundreds of texts, all of them full of future plans and promises made? I'd spent less than a day with Ethan, but still felt like he knew me better than just about anyone. You can't measure love by time put in, but the weight of those moments. Some in life are light, like a touch. Others, you can't help but stagger underneath.””

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

## 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 measured by the depth of shared moments, not by time spent together.

**In simple terms:** Love is about quality, not quantity.

Key Takeaway

Value deep connections over duration.

Themes

love connection intimacy

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

literary romantic

When to use this quote

- dating
- long‑distance relationships
- friendship
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

emotional depth subjective measurement

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you assess the depth of a relationship?
- What moments define love for you?

A Different Perspective

Time alone cannot guarantee intimacy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Claim Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claim-person-798756/) [Ethan Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethan-felt-1954100/) [Future plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-plans/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Measure Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measure-love/) [Moments Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments-life/) [Perfect night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-night/) [Phone calls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phone-calls/) [Promises Spent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promises-spent-1954101/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [“What did it take to claim a person, really? One perfect night? A few weeks of phone calls, hundreds of texts, all of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-really-one-perfect-night-a-few/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [“I never thought that I would feel this way for a man. But I do. I want you, Ethan. And now I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tal-bauer/i-never-thought-that-i-would-feel-this-way-for-a-man-but-i-do-i-want/)

[Tal Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tal-bauer/)

> [“Ethan felt a tiny ripple of victory, like he’d scored a blow against a tornado.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/ethan-felt-a-tiny-ripple-of-victory-like-he-d-scored-a-blow-against-a/)

[Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/)

> [No one is perfect. I would never claim to be that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howland/no-one-is-perfect-i-would-never-claim-to-be-that-person/)

[Ben Howland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howland/)

> [“You can't measure love by time put in, but the weight of those moments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-can-t-measure-love-by-time-put-in-but-the-weight-of-those-moments-2/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [“You can’t measure love by time put in, but the weight of those moments. Some in life are light, like a touch. Others, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-can-t-measure-love-by-time-put-in-but-the-weight-of-those-moments/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [“You can't measure love by the time put in, but by the weight of those moments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-can-t-measure-love-by-the-time-put-in-but-by-the-weight-of-those/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [“Without a torch, I stumbled along the paths. The night was dismal. A partial moon hovered bitter and white on the horizon. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-griffiths-little/without-a-torch-i-stumbled-along-the-paths-the-night-was-dismal-a/)

[Kimberley Griffiths Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberley-griffiths-little/)

> [Once upon a perfect night, unclouded and still, there came the face of a pale and beautiful lady. The tresses of her hair reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williams/once-upon-a-perfect-night-unclouded-and-still-there-came-the-face-of/)

[Kit Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williams/)

> [My perfect night would be going out to an awesome restaurant, then heading over to the Comedy Cellar to hang out with other comics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/my-perfect-night-would-be-going-out-to-an-awesome-restaurant-then/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [“A perfect night... a perfect forever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/a-perfect-night-a-perfect-forever/)

[Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/)

> [“Every day, I would wake up and think you were perfect and every night I'd go to sleep thinking that, somehow, during the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/every-day-i-would-wake-up-and-think-you-were-perfect-and-every-night/)

[Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/)

> [Good sex is better than any sleeping pill. Couples who fall asleep after tend to get a perfect night's sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-sex-is-better-than-any-sleeping-pill-couples-who-fall-asleep/)

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

> [Perfect Night has that magic and it has the raw energy that grabs you by the throat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/perfect-night-has-that-magic-and-it-has-the-raw-energy-that-grabs-you/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [Perfect Night is minimalistic and that's what makes it so forceful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/perfect-night-is-minimalistic-and-that-s-what-makes-it-so-forceful/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

## More by Sarah Dessen

> [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [“if i were a book i would be so open”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-i-were-a-book-i-would-be-so-open/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [“At times, I found myself questioning his very existence, even though I knew I had, in fact, spotted him, with my own eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/at-times-i-found-myself-questioning-his-very-existence-even-though-i/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [When you had to do something, you had to do it. And eventually, if you were lucky, you did it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/when-you-had-to-do-something-you-had-to-do-it-and-eventually-if-you/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [the truth about forever is that it is happening right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-about-forever-is-that-it-is-happening-right-now/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [I jammed my hand in my jacket pocket, bracing myself fo the next hit, and fel something. Something grainy and samll, sticking to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-jammed-my-hand-in-my-jacket-pocket-bracing-myself-fo-the-next-hit/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [This was just one night, one chance to vary and see where it took me. The fireflies were probably already out: maybe it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-just-one-night-one-chance-to-vary-and-see-where-it-took-me/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [“For me, however, it was a mix of the two, this constant push and pull. I loved it here. But I'd been in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/for-me-however-it-was-a-mix-of-the-two-this-constant-push-and-pull-i/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [I think whenever a writer is really enjoying themselves and liking what they are doing, that shows on the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-think-whenever-a-writer-is-really-enjoying-themselves-and-liking/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

[Explore all 1,251 Sarah Dessen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

## More Future plans quotes

> [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“If we could push ajar the gates of life, And stand within, and all God's workings see, We could interpret all this doubt and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-riley-smith/if-we-could-push-ajar-the-gates-of-life-and-stand-within-and-all-god/)

[Mary Riley Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-riley-smith/)

> [“What did it take to claim a person, really? One perfect night? A few weeks of phone calls, hundreds of texts, all of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-really-one-perfect-night-a-few/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [Nature consists of facts and of regularities, and is in itself neither moral nor immoral. It is we who impose our standards upon nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nature-consists-of-facts-and-of-regularities-and-is-in-itself-neither/)

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

> [An artist's responsibility is a lot. I can't deny and escape from the responsibility. You have to be very guarded about your personal behaviour,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiranjeevi/an-artist-s-responsibility-is-a-lot-i-can-t-deny-and-escape-from-the/)

[Chiranjeevi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiranjeevi/)

> [“Your future is built on who you are and not their feelings or holdbacks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-green/your-future-is-built-on-who-you-are-and-not-their-feelings-or/)

[Nate Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-green/)

> [Work outside of school hours was a necessity at an early age, and with such time as I had I turned toward interests of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-carlson/work-outside-of-school-hours-was-a-necessity-at-an-early-age-and-with/)

[Chester Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-carlson/)

> [We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/we-spend-our-whole-lives-worrying-about-the-future-planning-for-the/)

[Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/)

> [“Information about the future is much more valuable and interesting than information about the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-asbury/information-about-the-future-is-much-more-valuable-and-interesting/)

[Stephen Asbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-asbury/)

> [Everyone in America (according to my generalizations) is a potential millionaire waiting for his or her big break. I was astonished lately to realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/everyone-in-america-according-to-my-generalizations-is-a-potential/)

[Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/)

> [“People are more focused on trying to look successful than doing the work required and grinding through the process to actually become successful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-green/people-are-more-focused-on-trying-to-look-successful-than-doing-the/)

[Nate Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-green/)

> [“I was so done with looking at life through the eyes of beer-drinking cheese-heads. I wanted to go on that mission trip and look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-michael/i-was-so-done-with-looking-at-life-through-the-eyes-of-beer-drinking/)

[Holly Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-michael/)

> [“She was a journeyman trapper and caretaker of Denver Beck's heart. Even Hell knew her name. Blackthorne's daughter would never settle for "okay" ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-oliver/she-was-a-journeyman-trapper-and-caretaker-of-denver-beck-s-heart/)

[Jana Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-oliver/)

> [“Forgive your past because it the vehicle through your process and from this point forward your life is made of 100% future; Caterpillars always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/forgive-your-past-because-it-the-vehicle-through-your-process-and/)

[Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/)

> [“Heaven knows where I'll end up - it's a safe bet I'll never be at the top of anything! Nor do I particularly care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft-2/heaven-knows-where-i-ll-end-up-it-s-a-safe-bet-i-ll-never-be-at-the/)

[H.P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft-2/)

[Browse all 187 Future plans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-plans/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“What did it take to claim a person, really? One perfect night? A few weeks of phone calls, hundreds of texts, all of them full of future plans and promises made? I'd spent less than a day with Ethan, but still felt like he knew me better than just about anyone. You can't measure love by time put in, but the weight of those moments. Some in life are light, like a touch. Others, you can't help but stagger underneath.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sarah Dessen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-really-one-perfect-night-a-few-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Future plans"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-really-one-perfect-night-a-few-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/sarah-dessen-110_future-plans_what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-reall_2602187.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/sarah-dessen-110_future-plans_what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-reall_2602187.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/sarah-dessen-110_future-plans_what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-reall_2602187.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What did it take to claim a person, really? One perfect night? A few weeks of phone calls, hundreds of…” — Sarah Dessen",
                "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": "Sarah Dessen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“What did it take to claim...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-really-one-perfect-night-a-few-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-really-one-perfect-night-a-few-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
