--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most important thing that I know…" description: "\"The most important thing that I know about living is love. Nothing surpasses the benefits received by a human being who makes compassion and love the o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/sargent-shriver-13145_and-love_the-most-important-thing-that-i-know-abo_2678824.jpg" --- # The most important thing that I know about living is love… ![“The most important thing that I know about living is love. Nothing surpasses the benefits received by a human being who makes compassion and love the objective of his or her life. For it is only by compassion and love that anyone fulfills successfully their own life’s journey. Nothing equals love.” quote by Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/sargent-shriver-13145_and-love_the-most-important-thing-that-i-know-abo_2678824.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/sargent-shriver-13145_and-love_the-most-important-thing-that-i-know-abo_2678824.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/sargent-shriver-13145_and-love_the-most-important-thing-that-i-know-abo_2678824.jpg) > “The most important thing that I know about living is love. Nothing surpasses the benefits received by a human being who makes compassion and love the objective of his or her life. For it is only by compassion and love that anyone fulfills successfully their own life’s journey. Nothing equals love.” [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love and compassion are the highest goals in life; they fulfill personal purpose and benefit humanity. **In simple terms:** Love is life's greatest goal. Key Takeaway Live with love and compassion. Themes love compassion purpose Mood uplifting ethical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - volunteering - community service - personal development - spiritual practice Key Concepts humanistic philosophy ethical living Questions to Reflect On - How do you practice compassion? - What does love mean to you? A Different Perspective May seem idealistic without practical steps. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion And Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-and-love/) [Compassion Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-love/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life'S Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-s-journey/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“The kindness sent from one compassionate soul to another during the time of loss of one held so dear allows the sorrow-filled heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-friedenfeld/the-kindness-sent-from-one-compassionate-soul-to-another-during-the/) [Molly Friedenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-friedenfeld/) > [To embrace suffering culminates in greater empathy, the capacity to feel what it is like for the other to suffer, which is the ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-batchelor/to-embrace-suffering-culminates-in-greater-empathy-the-capacity-to/) [Stephen Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-batchelor/) > [“It is hard to draw any line between compassion and love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/it-is-hard-to-draw-any-line-between-compassion-and-love/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Compassion and love, that's all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/compassion-and-love-that-s-all/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [There are many people out there (me being one of them) who can vouch that animals have feelings; they feel compassion and love, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/there-are-many-people-out-there-me-being-one-of-them-who-can-vouch/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [I don't know how we can fix a world where people have been so convinced that they are doing the right thing out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillahunty/i-don-t-know-how-we-can-fix-a-world-where-people-have-been-so/) [Matt Dillahunty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillahunty/) > [You are joy, wisdom, peace, compassion, and love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/you-are-joy-wisdom-peace-compassion-and-love/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Our world can be moved Godward only by leaders who have shared to a deep degree the heartbreak as He looks in compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-l-duewel/our-world-can-be-moved-godward-only-by-leaders-who-have-shared-to-a/) [Wesley L Duewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-l-duewel/) > [“When catastrophe strikes compassion and love unite. A storm can't break the spirit of love. A storm may crack your windows, tear off your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-lee/when-catastrophe-strikes-compassion-and-love-unite-a-storm-can-t/) [Melody Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-lee/) > [I've got to love the souls of people. Because I can't love every incarnation. I have to identify with my own soul. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/i-ve-got-to-love-the-souls-of-people-because-i-can-t-love-every/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Let us develop respect for all living things. Let us try to replace violence and intolerance with understanding and compassion. And love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/let-us-develop-respect-for-all-living-things-let-us-try-to-replace/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [When the energy of compassion and love touches us, healing establishes itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/when-the-energy-of-compassion-and-love-touches-us-healing-establishes/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [Spirituality is allowing compassion and love to flourish. When belongness begins, corruption ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/spirituality-is-allowing-compassion-and-love-to-flourish-when/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > ['Les Miserables', the book, 'Les Miserables', the musical - it's about giving; it's about goodness. It's about compassion and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-wilkinson/les-miserables-the-book-les-miserables-the-musical-it-s-about-giving/) [Colm Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-wilkinson/) > [Compassion and love constitute non-violence in action. They are the source of all spiritual qualities: forgiveness, tolerance, all the virtues. They give meaning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/compassion-and-love-constitute-non-violence-in-action-they-are-the/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) ## More by Sargent Shriver > [In the Peace Corps, the volunteer must be a fully developed, mature person. He must not join to run abroad or escape problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/in-the-peace-corps-the-volunteer-must-be-a-fully-developed-mature/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [I don't think the Gallup Poll technique is going to be very helpful in determining the goals of our educational system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/i-don-t-think-the-gallup-poll-technique-is-going-to-be-very-helpful/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [One of the things Mr. Kennedy taught me was that in laying out a new project, you shouldn't try to cope with every little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/one-of-the-things-mr-kennedy-taught-me-was-that-in-laying-out-a-new/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [There is an alternative to war. It has been with us forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/there-is-an-alternative-to-war-it-has-been-with-us-forever/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [Shatter the glass. In our society that is so self-absorbed, begin to look less at yourself and more at each other. Learn more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/shatter-the-glass-in-our-society-that-is-so-self-absorbed-begin-to/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [When Roosevelt came along, I approved of his program, generally. I figured an economic system should work for people, not vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/when-roosevelt-came-along-i-approved-of-his-program-generally-i/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [Christian virtues unite men. 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Caring for others is the practice of peace. Caring becomes as important as curing. Caring produces the cure, not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/the-cure-is-care-caring-for-others-is-the-practice-of-peace-caring/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [The Peace Corps is guilty of enthusiasm and a crusading spirit. But we're not apologetic about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/the-peace-corps-is-guilty-of-enthusiasm-and-a-crusading-spirit-but-we/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [It is not what you get out of life that counts. It's what you give and what is given from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/it-is-not-what-you-get-out-of-life-that-counts-it-s-what-you-give-and/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [The roots of racism lie deep in man's nature, wounded and bruised by original sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/the-roots-of-racism-lie-deep-in-man-s-nature-wounded-and-bruised-by/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [He who knows all things and believes nothing is damned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/he-who-knows-all-things-and-believes-nothing-is-damned/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) [Explore all 51 Sargent Shriver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) ## More And love quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. 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I'm a real girly girl and love doing my hair and experimenting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/anyone-who-knows-me-knows-that-i-am-really-into-hair-i-m-a-real-girly/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Only when man succeeds in developing his reason and love further than he has done so far, only when he can build a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/only-when-man-succeeds-in-developing-his-reason-and-love-further-than/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [I shall pray God to send charity into this hideous world, and sympathy for the weak, and love for the unhappy and unfortunate. 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