"By the time a partnership dissolves, it has dissolved"

This quote by John Updike speaks to the finality of the dissolution of a partnership. It implies that when a collaboration has actually ended, it is over and can not be reversed. This might be analyzed in a variety of ways, depending upon the context. It might be describing a service partnership, a romantic relationship, or perhaps a friendship. In any case, the quote recommends that once a partnership has actually ended, it is done and can not be reversed. This could be seen as an alerting to those in a partnership to look after it and not let it dissolve, as it may be too late to fix it once it has ended. It could also be viewed as a reminder to those who have experienced the dissolution of a collaboration to accept it and proceed, as it can not be reversed.