You know it’s love when all you want is that person to be happy, even if you’re not part of their happiness.

The line defines love as fundamentally altruistic: a commitment to another person’s well-being that can override one’s own desires for possession, reciprocity, or recognition. It frames “true” love as the ability to step aside—accepting separation, rejection, or changed circumstances—while still wishing the beloved joy. The quote also implies an ethical maturity: love is measured not by what one receives, but by what one is willing to give up without turning bitter. In popular usage, it often speaks to unrequited love, amicable breakups, or co-parenting, where care persists even when the relationship does not.