--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had never been in love. He had not…" description: "\"“He had never been in love. He had not known what it would feel like. He understood what the term meant, but his life had not allowed for exploring its..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/terry-brooks-3252_love_he-had-never-been-in-love-he-had-not-kno_1116136.jpg" --- # He had never been in love. He had not known what it would… ![“He had never been in love. He had not known what it would feel like. He understood what the term meant, but his life had not allowed for exploring its possibilities. There had been few he had really loved. His parents; Michael. That was it. And that was love of a different kind. Less intense, less…” quote by Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/terry-brooks-3252_love_he-had-never-been-in-love-he-had-not-kno_1116136.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/terry-brooks-3252_love_he-had-never-been-in-love-he-had-not-kno_1116136.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/terry-brooks-3252_love_he-had-never-been-in-love-he-had-not-kno_1116136.jpg) > ““He had never been in love. He had not known what it would feel like. He understood what the term meant, but his life had not allowed for exploring its possibilities. There had been few he had really loved. His parents; Michael. That was it. And that was love of a different kind. Less intense, less hungry. What he felt for Simralin went so far beyond anything manageable that it shocked him. He could tell himself it was because he had found her beautiful in a way that transcended anything he had ever known. But his attraction to her was a response to so much more. To her self-confidence and way of speaking. To her smile and the quirky way she lifted one eyebrow when she was amused. To the way she carried herself. To the way she looked at him.”” [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love can appear in unexpected forms, driven by admiration for confidence, humor, and presence, not just romance. **In simple terms:** Love can be about admiration and respect. Key Takeaway Recognize and value non‑romantic love. Themes love admiration self‑confidence human connection Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - building friendships - appreciating mentors - reflecting on past relationships Key Concepts Psychology emotional intelligence identity Questions to Reflect On - What qualities do you admire most in others? - Can admiration become love? A Different Perspective Love may be idealized and overlook practical compatibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Felt Simralin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-simralin-2997629/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-different/) [Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved/) [Loved Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-parents-1199133/) [Simralin Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simralin-went-2997630/) ## Related quotes > [I loved my parents... but that can never change the fact that my father's violence ruined my childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/i-loved-my-parents-but-that-can-never-change-the-fact-that-my-father/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [Allah loved you even before your parents were able to show you kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carissa-aydaa/allah-loved-you-even-before-your-parents-were-able-to-show-you/) [Carissa Aydaa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carissa-aydaa/) > [“The boy loved his parents more than anything on this Earth. And so he had to kill them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hill/the-boy-loved-his-parents-more-than-anything-on-this-earth-and-so-he/) [Mark Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hill/) > [I wish we lived in a world where all kids were loved by their parents how I was and am every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/i-wish-we-lived-in-a-world-where-all-kids-were-loved-by-their-parents/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [I loved my parents. There were never any rows. It was a sort of artistic, bohemian upbringing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-reeves/i-loved-my-parents-there-were-never-any-rows-it-was-a-sort-of/) [Vic Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-reeves/) > [I don't think people who have children are acting selfishly or unselfishly. 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You'll love your children far more than you ever loved your parents, and --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-hegi/that-s-the-nature-of-being-a-parent-sabine-has-discovered-you-ll-love/) [Ursula Hegi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-hegi/) > [His parents never talked about how they met, but when Park was younger, he used to try to imagine it. He loved how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/his-parents-never-talked-about-how-they-met-but-when-park-was-younger/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“We would also have to say goodbye to the joy of watching this next generation soak up the massive quantities of love their grandmother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-schwalbe/we-would-also-have-to-say-goodbye-to-the-joy-of-watching-this-next/) [Will Schwalbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-schwalbe/) > [My parents - my mother, particularly - were very focused on our succeeding. I loved my parents, and was very grateful to them for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/my-parents-my-mother-particularly-were-very-focused-on-our-succeeding/) [Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [I loved my parents to bits but they were from a very different generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-adams/i-loved-my-parents-to-bits-but-they-were-from-a-very-different/) [Tony Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-adams/) > [“I wanted to tell her that I loved her, and not in the complicated way I loved our parents, but in a simple way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenna-yovanoff/i-wanted-to-tell-her-that-i-loved-her-and-not-in-the-complicated-way/) [Brenna Yovanoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenna-yovanoff/) > [“He loved how much they loved each other. It was the thing he thought about when he woke up scared in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/he-loved-how-much-they-loved-each-other-it-was-the-thing-he-thought/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) ## More by Terry Brooks > [“a kaleidoscopic, fragmented rush of images that exploded out of memory. They careened into her like an avalanche and swept her away,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/a-kaleidoscopic-fragmented-rush-of-images-that-exploded-out-of-memory/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [Might have, could have, may have, should have—the haves and have nots reduced to pointless possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/might-have-could-have-may-have-should-have-the-haves-and-have-nots/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [“You spend so much time wondering who you are, don't you think? You flounder about, searching for your identity, when most of the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/you-spend-so-much-time-wondering-who-you-are-don-t-you-think-you/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [“Writers need their writing; they need their imaginary worlds in order to find piece in, or make sense of, the real world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/writers-need-their-writing-they-need-their-imaginary-worlds-in-order/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [THE NAME OF THE WIND marks the debut of a writer we would all do well to watch. Patrick Rothfuss has real talent, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/the-name-of-the-wind-marks-the-debut-of-a-writer-we-would-all-do-well/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [If anything in your life is more important than writing - anything at all - you should walk away now while you still can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/if-anything-in-your-life-is-more-important-than-writing-anything-at/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [We are constantly being put to the test by trying circumstances and difficult people and problems not necessarily of our own making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/we-are-constantly-being-put-to-the-test-by-trying-circumstances-and/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [The Golden Compass is one of the best fantasy / adventure stories that I have read. This is a book no one should miss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/the-golden-compass-is-one-of-the-best-fantasy-adventure-stories-that/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [I am incomplete without my work. I am so closely bound to it, so much identified by it, that without it I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/i-am-incomplete-without-my-work-i-am-so-closely-bound-to-it-so-much/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [We must nurture and love, if life is to have any real meaning. But First we must find a way to survive against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/we-must-nurture-and-love-if-life-is-to-have-any-real-meaning-but/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [When she cried, he would say, "there is nothing wrong with crying. Your feelings tell you who are. They tell what is important. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/when-she-cried-he-would-say-there-is-nothing-wrong-with-crying-your/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [Fiction writing is a twenty-four-hou r-a-day occupation. You never leave your work behind. It is always with you, and to some extent, you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/fiction-writing-is-a-twenty-four-hou-r-a-day-occupation-you-never/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [It's better to die in pursuit of your dreams than to live a life without hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/it-s-better-to-die-in-pursuit-of-your-dreams-than-to-live-a-life/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [If you do not hear music in your words, you have put too much thought into your writing and not enough heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/if-you-do-not-hear-music-in-your-words-you-have-put-too-much-thought/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [If I have the means, I have the responsibility to employ them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/if-i-have-the-means-i-have-the-responsibility-to-employ-them/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) [Explore all 133 Terry Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) ## More Love quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. 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It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/) [Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“To be loved by a man, truly loved, made a woman feel as if she could burst. Of course, Lia was strong and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-anne/to-be-loved-by-a-man-truly-loved-made-a-woman-feel-as-if-she-could/) [Melody Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-anne/) > [So when you take those tears, don't look to see I'm alright. …\*Seal - Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/so-when-you-take-those-tears-don-t-look-to-see-i-m-alright-seal-violet/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. 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Less intense, less hungry. What he felt for Simralin went so far beyond anything manageable that it shocked him. He could tell himself it was because he had found her beautiful in a way that transcended anything he had ever known. But his attraction to her was a response to so much more. To her self-confidence and way of speaking. To her smile and the quirky way she lifted one eyebrow when she was amused. To the way she carried herself. 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