About this quote

It points to a kind of attachment that asks for more than routine affection. You can tell it's serious when daily choices keep showing up for the other person, not just grand gestures. Take a hard look at what sticking around requires of you and whether those demands make you stronger or smaller. Decide plainly: deepen what feeds you, and set limits on what erases you.

When to use it

• At my mother's bedside after years of caregiving, I whispered, 'We loved with a love that was more than love,' to explain why I refused to leave her alone at night.
• In my wedding vows I told my partner, 'We loved with a love that was more than love,' to promise I'd stay through illness and quiet days.
• At a colleague's retirement party, I raised a glass and said, 'We loved with a love that was more than love,' meaning our loyalty to each other outlasted the job.
• After rehab and missed seasons, I told my teammate, 'We loved with a love that was more than love,' to thank them for pushing through pain with me.