Life
Even non-sentimental types accept the holidays in general as an excuse to indulge in more emotional displays than usual, and this is perhaps most true of Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, merely having permission to express your more romantic side doesn't necessarily give you the skills to do it in such a way that's... not horribly awkward. That's where these sentimental quotes for Valentine's Day come in: When you find yourself at a literal loss for words, let these beautifully spoken phrases serve as your inspiration. (Just don't pretend you actually wrote them, because that would be creepy.)
When you think about it, the whole trouble with Valentine's Day is the pressure it puts on people who are fairly reserved/cynical/emotionally-stunted/bad-at-communicating to suddenly wax poetic about their partner. Isn't that just a touch unrealistic? Of course, there are always greeting cards... but maybe you're looking for a message to send in a text or an email. Or maybe you want to write something inside the card. Or maybe you want to do something really spectacular, like print one of these quotes on a pillow underneath a photo of the two of you, holding hands. (Wait, that's not spectacular at all, it's sort of tacky. Don't do that, on second thought.)
Remember, you can always read these aloud to your beloved, too. Hey, why not?
1
"It's enough for me to be sure that you and I exist at this moment.” ― Gabriel García Márquez
Just imagine how it would feel if your S.O. jotted this quote from One Hundred Years of Solitude in a card and handed it to you? I mean. Breathless.
2
"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness." — Friedrich Nietzsche
If quoting Nietzche always seemed a little heavy for Valentine's Day, well, you clearly weren't thinking of these wildly romantic (and very true) words.
3
"The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other all along." ― Rumi
Obviously you can't go wrong with an ancient poet if you're looking for deep thoughts on the nature of love.
4
"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you." — A. A. Milne
Sigh, naturally anything from the man who brought us Winnie-the-Pooh would be heartbreakingly sweet.
5
"There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved." — George Sand
Try as we might to convince ourselves otherwise...
6
“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” — 'When Harry Met Sally'
People think of WHMS as a New Year's Eve movie, but it's filled with Valentine's Day spirit.
7
"When you love someone all your saved up wishes start coming out." — Elizabeth Bowen
The late British poet had a particular insight when it came to the inner workings of relationships... as well as falling in love.
8
"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once." — John Green, 'The Fault in Our Stars'
Speaking of falling in love, this exquisitely rendered line from bestselling YA author John Green says it all.
9
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." — William Shakespeare
Sure, you could say "love is blind" and leave it at that. But why, when you can say this instead?
10
"Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for." — 'Dead Poets Society'
This is the ideal quote to use on someone who can't hear the words "dead" and "poet" in the same sentence without breaking down in tears.
11
“What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.” — George Bailey, 'It's A Wonderful Life'
While it's true that people mostly talk this way in movies, it's also true that they should talk this way in real life way more often.
12
“Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours.” — Olaf, 'Frozen'
Even kids get the gist of what Olaf is trying to say here. Although don't expect them to get up and get their own snack or anything, because kids don't master the selflessness thing until they're... actually never.
13
“He shall never know I love him. And that, not because he's handsome, but because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made out of, his and mine are the same." — Emily Brontë
Let your fellow know you don’t just like him for his abs. Rather, you love his soul!
14
“If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.” — Jane Austen
This one is simple but gorgeous. When you’re so in love you don’t even have the words? Swoon!
15
”And if a double-decker bus/crashes into us/to die by your side/is such a heavenly way to die.” — The Smiths
Raw, unrelenting passion with a dab of dark humor. What else do you expect from Morrissey, poet laureate of the love-tortured?
16
“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” — Dr. Seuss
And think of what Dr. Seuss’s dreams must have been like. That was one lucky lady...
17
“I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.” — Pablo Neruda
Heavens! Get me my smelling salts! Weird how talk of fruit trees can sound so super sexy and romantic...
18
“Wait a minute. Nice boys don’t kiss like that.” “Oh yes they f*cking do.” — 'Bridget Jones' Diary'
I mean, enough said, right?
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