About this quote

The line points to a closeness that changes how you live and choose. It names the feeling of another person becoming essential to your daily shape and mood. That can be steady and warm, or it can hide the slow loss of parts of yourself. Notice where you give away time, decisions, or friends; keep at least one thing that belongs only to you so the relationship stays equal.

When to use it

• Wedding toast for my sister: 'He is half of my soul, as the poets say,' I told the room to explain why she lights up around him.
• In couples therapy, I quoted the line to describe how entwined we are and then asked the therapist for ways to keep my own space.
• After reading the novel for my literature class, I used the sentence in a paper about how ancient myths shape modern ideas of love.
• Two teammates celebrating a comeback put the quote on a photo caption after a season where they pushed each other through rehab and training.