Rilke said this about love and lovers:
When I turned 26 I started asking for specific gifts for my birthday — romantic wishes, if you will — and for two years I was on a winning streak. I became a firm believer of “Ask and you shall receive,” just as much as “Be careful what you ask for.”
Time came when my birthday wish took on a more serious tone. I felt I was finally ready to plant seeds (some people call it “settle down”)– and immediately the reply was “He will find you by something you put out there.”
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Rilke’s full quote / context here: