"Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great"

This quote is a metaphor comparing love to fire and lack to wind. It recommends that absence can have a various impact on various kinds of love. For small, shallow love, lack can extinguish it, like wind extinguishes a small fire. Nevertheless, for great, enthusiastic love, absence can really make it stronger, like wind can fan a large fire and make it burn brighter. This quote is a suggestion that absence can be a test of real love. If a relationship can survive a period of absence, it is likely to be a strong and long lasting one. It likewise recommends that if a relationship is not strong enough to survive a duration of lack, it might not deserve buying.