Don’t smother each other. No one can grow in the shade.

Buscaglia’s line uses a plant metaphor to warn against possessiveness and overdependence in close relationships. “Smothering” suggests love expressed as control—constant attention, jealousy, or emotional enmeshment—that blocks the other person’s autonomy. The “shade” image implies that even well‑intentioned care can deprive someone of the space, risk, and self-direction needed to mature. The quote thus advocates a form of love that includes boundaries: support without domination, intimacy without erasing individuality. Its significance fits Buscaglia’s broader humanistic emphasis on growth, self-respect, and compassionate connection that does not demand ownership.