Believing Quote by Susan Choi
““Coup de foudre; perhaps it was real. One went from believing, when twenty, that it was the one kind of love that was real, to believing, once closer to forty, that it was not only fragile but false--the inferior, infantile, doomed love of twenty-year-olds. Somewhere between, the norms of one culture of love were discarded, and those of the other assumed. When did it happen, at midnight of one's thirty-first birthday? On the variable day that, while browsing a grocery-store aisle with a man, the repeating refrain of the rest of one's life for the first time resounds in one's ear?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Trust Exercise by Susan Choi, 2019
The quote reflects on how youthful idealistic love is later replaced by a more cynical, fragile view as one ages, questioning when that shift occurs.
In simple terms: Youth love seems ideal, later love feels fragile and false.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how love expectations change with age.
Themes
love
growth
disillusionment
culture
identity
Mood
nostalgic
contemplative
melancholic
Type
literary
reflective
When to use this quote
- dating in twenties
- midlife reflection
- relationship expectations
- self‑realization
Key Concepts
Romantic idealism
cultural norms
personal evolution
Questions to Reflect On
- When did your view of love change?
- What experiences triggered that shift?
A Different Perspective
The shift may be gradual, not a single moment, making it hard to pinpoint.
