This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "Milk and Honey" by Rupi Kaur. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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Are you looking for important milk and honey book quotes? What are the key passages in milk and honey?
In the poetry collection, milk and honey, Rupi Kaur shares deeply personal stories and reflections. These milk and honey book quotes identify some of those important messages.
Keep reading for four milk and honey book quotes.
Milk and Honey Book Quotes
Below are four milk and honey book quotes. These are excerpts of some of her poems and highlight some of the main themes in milk and honey. The milk and honey book quotes address issues surrounding her breakup and finding strength.
“Loneliness is a sign you are in desperate need of yourself.”
The first of the milk and honey book quotes highlights the importance of loving yourself first. After her breakup, Rupi Kaur worked on her feelings of self-worth and self-love. She realized that the only person that could make her feel whole was herself. She stopped trying to build her life around another person and started focusing on building a life around herself. When she stepped back, she noticed that many of the qualities she loved about her ex were actually just reflections of her own actions and affections. She had taught him how to love her by loving herself. When she realized that, she once again felt whole.
“do not look for healing at the feet of those who broke you”
After they broke up, Kaur noticed the red flags she had ignored throughout their relationship. Her partner had sometimes claimed to have to stay at work for a few extra hours but wasn’t at the office when Kaur checked. He grew more distant and even said another woman’s name in bed. Her love for him blinded her to the less desirable qualities he had.
She realized that he didn’t have a lot of respect for women. He would degrade other women in private and would only say “I love you” when he wanted to have sex. She had become a sex object to him rather than a human being. She gave him all of her love and energy. In return, he used her for what he wanted, then ignored her as he slept with other people. His love for her was gone. He was just afraid of being alone.
Ultimately, she realized that her ex was a selfish lover. He wanted her to fulfill his needs, but he never had any regard for hers. Whereas she had begun to feel like an independent woman at the beginning of their relationship, she began to feel less than whole being around him. The distance he kept and the way that he used her started to take a toll on her self-worth. He didn’t intend to commit to her. Instead, he threw her aside when the relationship wasn’t convenient for him.
“how is it so easy for you to be kind to people he asked milk and honey dripped from my lips as i answered cause people have not been kind to me”
When asked about her tendency to show kindness, Kaur explains that people weren’t kind to her growing up and she doesn’t want to make anyone else feel the way she felt. She believes everyone is capable of love, yet many choose to be toxic.
“stay strong through your pain, grow flowers from it”
The last of the milk and honey book quotes is about strength and growth through pain. Kaur views pain as part of being human. Everyone experiences pain. It’s what you do with it that counts. She used her pain to strengthen her resolve and accept that she deserved to love herself and reject the people that hurt her. She saw every experience as a chance for gratitude. When she got hurt, she saw it as an opportunity to learn. When she was given love, she embraced it with open arms.
She realized that her self-love taught other people how to love her. The more she valued herself, the more others valued her. This wasn’t because she changed anything about herself. Rather, her best qualities began to rise to the surface because they were no longer bogged down by insecurity.
Despite her pain, Kaur insists that everyone should love passionately and wholeheartedly. She insists that nothing else matters if you can’t offer and accept love. You could have the greatest job in the world and make obscene amounts of money, but, without love, you’ll never feel fulfilled.
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Like what you just read? Read the rest of the world's best book summary and analysis of Rupi Kaur's "Milk and Honey" at Shortform .
Here's what you'll find in our full Milk and Honey summary :
- How Rupi Kaur suffered sexual assault and oppression as a child
- What red flags Kaur missed in her toxic relationship
- How Kaur was able to heal and embrace her femininity
