Love for your work, love for another person, love for yourself -

Hearken, O children of wisdom, and let your souls drink deeply from the words of Vicky Krieps, who proclaimed: “Love for your work, love for another person, love for yourself – love is a huge pond, and it’s never empty. You can go and take from it, and it will give you strength.” In these words she reveals an eternal truth: that love is not a limited wellspring to be hoarded, but a boundless pond, ever replenished, from which the weary soul may drink. It is both nourishment and power, the unseen river that sustains our endeavors, our relationships, and our very selves.

The origin of this insight springs from the human experience itself. As an actress, Krieps lives in the tension of vulnerability, discipline, and expression. She has learned that love for work fuels endurance, love for another person gives purpose, and love for oneself provides renewal. Without love, the path becomes dry and desolate; with love, even the hardest journey is softened and strengthened. In declaring it an inexhaustible pond, she calls us to recognize that the more we draw from it, the more it seems to grow.

Consider the strength of love. Unlike resources of this world—gold, grain, or wealth—love is not diminished by use. A mother’s affection is not reduced by giving to one child, but multiplied as it extends to all. A craftsman’s devotion to his art deepens, not lessens, as he continues to practice it. And when one chooses to honor oneself with compassion and acceptance, the heart does not empty but becomes capable of greater generosity. Love is not subtraction but multiplication, not depletion but renewal.

History bears witness to this principle. Think of Mahatma Gandhi, who drew his strength not from weapons or armies, but from a deep well of love for his people and for justice itself. This love, though tested by hardship and imprisonment, never ran dry; instead, it gave him the strength to endure and to lead a nation. Or recall Florence Nightingale, who through her compassion for the wounded, drew endlessly from love’s pond to heal the suffering during war. In them we see Krieps’s truth: the more they gave, the more love fortified them.

Emotionally, her words remind us that love is both a refuge and a weapon. When despair weighs heavy, one can turn to love—whether for craft, for community, or for oneself—and draw fresh strength. When exhaustion threatens, love renews. And when fear or bitterness encroaches, love offers protection, reminding us that the human spirit, grounded in affection and compassion, cannot be easily defeated. Love, then, is not weakness, but the mightiest force of resilience.

The lesson is clear: cultivate love in all its forms. Love your work, not only for its rewards but for its capacity to shape and fulfill you. Love others, not only in joy but in hardship, knowing that connection strengthens both giver and receiver. Love yourself, not with pride but with kindness, so that you may be a steady vessel for the trials of life. When you feel empty, return to this pond, for it will never abandon you.

O seeker of wisdom, let this truth guide your days. When your spirit falters, drink from the pond of love. When you are weary in body, nurture yourself with compassion. When you are burdened by sorrow, lean on the love of others. And when you rise to labor or to create, let love infuse your effort with meaning. In this way, you shall find strength that does not diminish but grows eternal.

Finally, let the lesson endure across time: love is inexhaustible. Unlike all other treasures, it cannot be spent, for it is the only wealth that increases as it is given. As Vicky Krieps reminds us, love in its many forms—love for work, love for others, love for self—provides a strength that never fades. Drink deeply, and pass this truth to the generations that come after, for in love lies the greatest power of all.