Absence diminishes small loves and increases great ones.
Meaning
Distance or separation causes insignificant affections to wane and disappear, while profound and genuine loves deepen and intensify.
Origin
In the glittering salons and drawing rooms of 17th-century France, amidst the powdered wigs and intricate social dances, François de La Rochefoucauld, a sharp-witted moralist, meticulously observed the human heart. His groundbreaking work, Maximes, published in 1665, was a collection of pithy, often cynical aphorisms that laid bare the hidden motivations and complexities of human emotion. He wasn't afraid to peel back the layers of polite society to reveal the truth, and this particular maxim, a testament to the resilience and fragility of affection, sprang from his deep understanding of how distance truly tests the bonds between people. It wasn't just a clever turn of phrase; it was a profound psychological insight, born from a life spent watching loves bloom, fade, and sometimes, incredibly, grow stronger against all odds.
Examples
- After a year apart, he realized the brief infatuation he'd had for his colleague had vanished, while his bond with his wife had only grown stronger; absence truly diminishes small loves and increases great ones.
- She learned the truth of the old saying when her casual friendships faded during her travels, yet the love for her family burned brighter than ever.