It is in this intimate relationship (or marriage) that we have the opportunity to grow and evolve into the person we want to be. This is especially so when you and your partner treat one another with tenderness, respect, and admiration. Within this relationship, you can heal past wounds, comfortably be your true self, and stretch yourself without fear of failure or judgment. However, if you and your partner are more self-focused than you are attentive to the relationship and one another, your closeness and joy will begin to wither. Your connection can devolve into defensiveness, frustration, stonewalling, and hurt feelings. It takes effort to maintain your relationship in order to keep it healthy and happy. You have to tend to it as you would a prized garden — pull the weeds, water it daily, and give it plenty of sunshine. You both must accept one another as individuals while operating as a united team. This may seem like a tall order, but when both partners are motivated to put the relationship first, it will be a joy to keep your connection fresh and alive.

If you need some inspiration, here are 25 relationship quotes to stoke your intimacy and love:

“The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but to hold hands.” – Alexandra Penney

“Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved.” -William Paul Young

“To grow in our ability to love ourselves we need to receive love as well.” -John Gray

“The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.” -Ernest Hemingway

“Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.” -Theodore Roosevelt

“Shared joy is a double joy, shared sorrow is half a sorrow.” -Swedish Proverb

“When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.” -Donald Miller

“Relationships based on obligation lack dignity.” -Wayne Dyer

“No road is long with good company.” -Turkish Proverb

“When someone loves you, the way they talk about you is different. You feel safe and comfortable.” -Jess C. Scott

“There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

“Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” – Nelson Mandela

“Love in such a way that the person you love feels free.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

“The first duty of love is to listen.” -Paul Tillich

“What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other.” -George Eliot

“A kiss makes the heart young again and wipes out the years.” – Rupert Brooke

“Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.” -J.K. Rowling

“I have learned not to worry about love, but to honor its coming with all my heart.” -Alice Walker

“A healthy relationship will never require you to sacrifice your friends, your dreams, or your dignity.” -Mandy Hale

“Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.” – Emily Kimbrough

“The best relationships are the ones based on friendships. Be friends first.” – Author Unknown

“There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.” -Bryant H. McGill

“Don’t ever punish your present relationship for what your past relationship did.” – Abhishek Tiwari

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more, that plants the fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds.” – The Notebook

“I saw that you were perfect, and so I loved you. Then I saw that you were not perfect, and I loved you even more.” – Angelita Lim

25 Relationship Quotes - 6825 Relationship Quotes - 1625 Relationship Quotes - 2025 Relationship Quotes - 9025 Relationship Quotes - 8025 Relationship Quotes - 8725 Relationship Quotes - 3525 Relationship Quotes - 8325 Relationship Quotes - 7525 Relationship Quotes - 9125 Relationship Quotes - 3825 Relationship Quotes - 6925 Relationship Quotes - 8425 Relationship Quotes - 725 Relationship Quotes - 6925 Relationship Quotes - 7725 Relationship Quotes - 8225 Relationship Quotes - 1125 Relationship Quotes - 2925 Relationship Quotes - 225 Relationship Quotes - 1325 Relationship Quotes - 925 Relationship Quotes - 6925 Relationship Quotes - 9225 Relationship Quotes - 78