“That's what sailing is, a dance, and your partner is the sea. And with the sea you never take liberties. You ask her, you don't tell her. You have to remember always that she's the leader, not you. You and your boat are dancing to her tune.”
Source: Alone on a Wide Wide Sea
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Michael Morpurgo 11
British children's writer 1943Related quotes
Source: The poem was originally titled "Habe Geduld". It was first published in Blüthen des Herzens around 1906. https://www.bartfmdroog.com/droog/dd/bluthen_des_herzens_scans.html#front
Adolf Hitler used this poem with the title "Deine Mutter" in the handwritten manuscript he signed and dated in 1923. For this reason, this poem is sometimes misattributed to him. Adolf Hitler, "Denk' es!" (Be Reminded!) 1923, first published in Sonntag-Morgenpost (14 May 1933).

“When you dance with the devil, you don't get to pick the tune.”
Source: Infinity
Source: Dreamsnake (1978), Chapter 4 (p. 74)

Tell Her About It.
Song lyrics, An Innocent Man (1983)

Variant: You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She's not perfect — you aren't either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break — her heart. So don't hurt her, don't change her, don't analyze and don't expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she's not there.

Source: Chicken Soup for the Single's Soul (Chicken Soup for the Soul

As quoted in M. Leonard, The Chaperon and Housemother, Builders of Youth (1947), p. 51