--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Had we not loved ourselves at all, we…" description: "\"Had we not loved ourselves at all, we could never have been obliged to love anything. So that self-love is the basis of all love…\" — Thomas Traherne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/thomas-traherne-12521_love_had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-cou_2009869.png" --- # Had we not loved ourselves at all, we could never have… ![“Had we not loved ourselves at all, we could never have been obliged to love anything. So that self-love is the basis of all love…” quote by Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/thomas-traherne-12521_love_had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-cou_2009869.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/thomas-traherne-12521_love_had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-cou_2009869.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/thomas-traherne-12521_love_had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-cou_2009869.png) > “Had we not loved ourselves at all, we could never have been obliged to love anything. So that self-love is the basis of all love…” [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑love is the prerequisite for loving others; without valuing ourselves we cannot truly care for anything else. **In simple terms:** Love starts with self‑respect. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑acceptance first. Themes self‑love relationships ethics Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - relationship counseling - parenting - team building Key Concepts moral philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does your self‑esteem affect your capacity to love others? - Can self‑love coexist with humility? A Different Perspective Self‑love can become selfish if not balanced with empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-yourself/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-love/) ## Related quotes > [We are obliged to love one another. We are not strictly bound to "like" one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/we-are-obliged-to-love-one-another-we-are-not-strictly-bound-to-like/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [We are obliged to love one another. We are not strictly bound to 'like' one another. Love governs the will: 'liking' is a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/we-are-obliged-to-love-one-another-we-are-not-strictly-bound-to-like-3/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [No one can LOVE you so much than you're SELF so LOVE you're SELF first before anyone else..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-one-can-love-you-so-much-than-you-re-self-so-love-you-re-self/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love your self.. Love your health Its more important than money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/love-your-self-love-your-health-its-more-important-than-money/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [It's true what they say about guys needing to show how they feel not just say it. The wrong guy could say all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/it-s-true-what-they-say-about-guys-needing-to-show-how-they-feel-not/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“We are obliged to love one another. We are not strictly bound to 'like' one another. Love governs the will: 'liking' is a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/we-are-obliged-to-love-one-another-we-are-not-strictly-bound-to-like-2/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“I think that love must be the ability to suspend one's intelligence for the sake of something. At the basis of love therefore must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alan-mcpherson/i-think-that-love-must-be-the-ability-to-suspend-one-s-intelligence/) James Alan McPherson > [“People falling in love for one reason may fall out of love due to another reason. However, if faith or trust is the basis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/people-falling-in-love-for-one-reason-may-fall-out-of-love-due-to/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“The basis of love that most people share is the intimacy they developed with their partners, the intensity of their attraction, or the similarity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janvier-chouteu-chando/the-basis-of-love-that-most-people-share-is-the-intimacy-they/) [Janvier Chouteu-Chando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janvier-chouteu-chando/) > [“All questions have a basis in love. All answers lead to LOVE. If you can color everything in love, you have all the colors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-evangelista/all-questions-have-a-basis-in-love-all-answers-lead-to-love-if-you/) Eve Evangelista > [The way God operates is on the basis of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/the-way-god-operates-is-on-the-basis-of-love/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Love in different exciting ways on a regular basis so that the love you share for that special someone doesn't become boring and repetitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/love-in-different-exciting-ways-on-a-regular-basis-so-that-the-love/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Marriage is like a three-speed gearbox - affection, friendship, love. It is not advisable to crash your gears and go right through to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ustinov/marriage-is-like-a-three-speed-gearbox-affection-friendship-love-it/) [Peter Ustinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ustinov/) > [“Sometimes loving from a distance is much better than trying to love up close. Love doesn't disappear when you leave a toxic or unhealthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karlicia-lewis/sometimes-loving-from-a-distance-is-much-better-than-trying-to-love/) [Karlicia Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karlicia-lewis/) > [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More by Thomas Traherne > [The Soul is shriveled up and buried in a grave that does not love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/the-soul-is-shriveled-up-and-buried-in-a-grave-that-does-not-love/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [To love one person with a private love is poor and miserable: to love all is glorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/to-love-one-person-with-a-private-love-is-poor-and-miserable-to-love/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [Sleep is cousin-german unto death: Sleep and death differ, no more, than a carcass And a skeleton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/sleep-is-cousin-german-unto-death-sleep-and-death-differ-no-more-than/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [We love we know not what, and therefore everything allures us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/we-love-we-know-not-what-and-therefore-everything-allures-us/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [The world is a mirror of infinite beauty, yet no man sees it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/the-world-is-a-mirror-of-infinite-beauty-yet-no-man-sees-it/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [The sense itself was I. I felt no dross or matter in my soul, no brims or borders, such as in a bowl we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/the-sense-itself-was-i-i-felt-no-dross-or-matter-in-my-soul-no-brims/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [I will not by the noise of bloody wars and the dethroning of kings advance you to glory: but by the gentle ways of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/i-will-not-by-the-noise-of-bloody-wars-and-the-dethroning-of-kings/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [You never enjoy the world aright, till the Sea itself flowers in your veins, till you are clothed with the heavens, and crowned with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/you-never-enjoy-the-world-aright-till-the-sea-itself-flowers-in-your/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [Let those parents that desire Holy Children learn to make them possessors of Heaven and Earth betimes; to remove silly objects from before them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/let-those-parents-that-desire-holy-children-learn-to-make-them/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [“Love can forbear, and Love can forgive...but Love can never be reconciled to an unlovely object... He can never therefore be reconciled to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/love-can-forbear-and-love-can-forgive-but-love-can-never-be/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [How like an angel came I down!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/how-like-an-angel-came-i-down/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [You never enjoy the world aright, till the sea itself floweth in your veins, till you are clothed with the heavens and crowned with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/you-never-enjoy-the-world-aright-till-the-sea-itself-floweth-in-your/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [Is it not strange, that an infant should be heir of the whole world, and see those mysteries which the books of the learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/is-it-not-strange-that-an-infant-should-be-heir-of-the-whole-world/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [To think the world therefore a general Bedlam, or place of madmen, and oneself a physician, is the most necessary point of present wisdom:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/to-think-the-world-therefore-a-general-bedlam-or-place-of-madmen-and/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) > [As nothing is more easy than to think, so nothing is more difficult than to think well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/as-nothing-is-more-easy-than-to-think-so-nothing-is-more-difficult/) [Thomas Traherne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) [Explore all 54 Thomas Traherne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/) ## More Love quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. 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. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) [Browse all 233,035 Love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Had we not loved ourselves at all, we could never have been obliged to love anything. So that self-love is the basis of all love…", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Traherne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-could-never-have-been-obliged-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-could-never-have-been-obliged-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/thomas-traherne-12521_love_had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-cou_2009869.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/thomas-traherne-12521_love_had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-cou_2009869.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/thomas-traherne-12521_love_had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-cou_2009869.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Had we not loved ourselves at all, we could never have been obliged to love anything. So that self-love is…” — Thomas Traherne", "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": "Thomas Traherne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-traherne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Had we not loved ourselves at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-could-never-have-been-obliged-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-traherne/had-we-not-loved-ourselves-at-all-we-could-never-have-been-obliged-to/#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 } } ] } ```