Quote Of The Day By Søren Kierkegaard: 'Love Is The Expression Of The One Who...'

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Søren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher, and he was all about trying to understand the human condition. With that focus, he became known as the "Father of Existentialism," according to The Living Philosophy. In a nutshell, existentialism is the idea that each person has to find a meaning for their own life. That in turn can cause some angst and anxiety about what it means to live a good and meaningful life — here are some ways to help feel less anxious.

Kierkegaard was born in 1813, the youngest in his family with six older siblings. He had a very religious father who wanted his son to become a pastor. Instead, Kierkegaard focused more on literature. He died in 1855 at a hospital in Copenhagen and his cause of death was unknown. In his relatively short life, he had a lot to say; he wrote a number of papers and books on a range of topics, including religion, psychology, ethics, literature, and more.

Kierkegaard wasn't one to shy away from difficult topics or deep dives on what it means to be human, including all the hardship that can come with it. His writing was known for being thought-provoking and often profound. He inspired other writers and artists, including Franz Kafka, John Updike, and Edvard Munch. His work and philosophies have stood the test of time and even entered pop culture to a degree — you can find references to Kierkegaard in TV shows like the fast-paced dramedy "Gilmore Girls" and the NBC comedy "The Good Place." That's why he's The List's quote of the day.

Søren Kierkegaard reportedly once wrote in his journals, "Love is the expression of the one who loves, not of the one who is loved. Those who think they can love only the people they prefer do not love at all. Love discovers truths about individuals that others cannot see."

This quote covers similar ground as his 1874 book "Works of Love," which was about the Christian-type love of "agape" or unconditional love, and how it compared to other types of love, like platonic or romantic love and relationships. Kierkegaard's quote is about trying to navigate what it really means to have genuine love for others, and why you should.

This quote from Søren Kierkegaard about love is all about making sure that people understand the value of love for love's sake, and that every person is deserving of it. That's in comparison to caring only about those we like as friends or more. Kierkegaard's point about love is that everyone is inherently worthy of love, even if they aren't like us or don't have surface-level behavior and traits that we might otherwise value. Love is not something that someone has to earn, and it's something we should look for and see in others. Everyone is intrinsically worth loving no matter what.

Looking at how we can apply that to our daily lives, it's working to step beyond any personal judgments or prejudices that we may have against others. We have to remember that each person we come across is worthy of love, and it's our job to treat them as such, even if they aren't always kind to us. When you're able to see beyond the surface or beyond someone's words and actions, you'll still be able to love them, even if you don't always like how they behave or even if they may change over time.

• "It is quite true what philosophy says, that life must be understood backward. But then one forgets the other principle, that it must be lived forward."
• "Deep within every man, there lies the dread of being alone in the world, forgotten by God, overlooked among the household of millions upon millions."
• "A fire broke out backstage in a theater. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater. I think that's just how the world will come to an end: to general applause from wits who believe it's a joke."
• "Most people are in such a rush to enjoy themselves that they hurry right past it."
• "One can of course be deceived in many ways. One can be deceived by believing what is untrue, but indeed, one can certainly also be deceived by not believing what is true."