I cannot help feeling there is something essentially wrong about love. Friends may quarrel or drift apart, close relations too, but there is not this pang, this pathos, this fatality which clings to love. Friendship never has that doomed look. Why, what is the matter? I have not stopped loving you, but because I cannot go on kissing your dim dear face, we must part, we must part.
The quote reflects a deep contemplation on the nature of love compared to other relationships. It suggests that while friendships can fade or face conflicts, they lack the intense sorrow and permanence that love entails. The speaker recognizes an inherent issue with love, emphasizing that it carries an unavoidable burden—something that makes the end of a romantic relationship feel more tragic than the conclusion of a friendship.
The speaker expresses a lingering love but acknowledges that physical connection is necessary for that love to thrive. Despite not wanting to let go, they recognize that the inability to share intimacy leads to the necessity of parting ways. This captures the complex interplay between love, loss, and the emotional weight that accompanies a romantic bond, ultimately suggesting that love can be both beautiful and agonizing.
