Since its release in 1987, The Princess Bride has become a cult classic movie, beloved by adults and children alike. It's practically impossible not to get drawn into the film's crazy mash-up of fairytale romance, action adventure, spoof comedy, and witty satire, and it's even more impossible not to walk away after the credits with your head full of memorable one-liners and snippets of quirky wisdom. From among a plethora of these witticisms and valuable tidbits of advice, here are thirteen lessons that The Princess Bride teaches us about life, love, and everything in between.

1. There are many ways to say “I love you"

Back when Buttercup was still a peasant and Westley was still known as Farm Boy, their conversations basically consisted of her giving orders and him replying, “As you wish.” Then one day, “she was amazed to discover that when he was saying ‘As you wish,’ what he meant was, ‘I love you.’” Wesley shows us that people have many different ways of expressing love. Some ways may be less straightforward than others, but they are no less genuine.

2. Never let strangers know that you’re all alone

Rule Number One of traveling alone in Florin (or anywhere else!): If you tell a band of vagabonds that there is no one around for miles, you might end up being kidnapped and shipped off to Guilder to be murdered. You have been warned.

3. People in masks cannot be trusted

Fezzik’s astute warning to Inigo is an important reminder for us all. The person hiding beneath the mask could be anyone—maybe even the Dread Pirate Roberts! Proceed with caution.

4. Always start a sword fight with your left hand

This little trick serves both Inigo and Westley well during their duel, so you should consider using it in your next life-or-death fencing match. Unless you’re already left-handed, of course, in which case you should consider starting off with your right hand and switching to your left. That will really throw your opponent off.

5. It pays to build up an immunity to iocane powder

You never know when you’ll need to poison a Sicilian.

6. Don’t pretend that Rodents of Unusual Size don’t exist

The ROUS's are a fact of life in the Fire Swamp, and ignoring their existence will always come back to bite you. Literally.

7. True love cannot be tracked or killed

“You can’t hurt me. Westley and I are joined by the bonds of love, and you cannot track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds. And you cannot break it, not with a thousand swords.” Buttercup understands that evil will never be a match for the power of true love, and we should too. If love can conquer Prince Humperdinck, then it can conquer darkness in our lives as well!

8. There’s a big difference between "mostly dead" and "all dead"

As Miracle Max points out, “Mostly dead is slightly alive.” Obviously.

9. Nothing beats an MLT

Nobody wants to miss out on a sandwich that’s greater than true love! Be sure to order one next time you’re out at a restaurant.

10. Don’t go swimming for at least an hour after taking a miracle pill

The consequences of breaking this rule aren’t specified, but they’re sure to be catastrophic.

11. Twue wuv is a tweasuh

"Mawwage. Mawwage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawwage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam…And wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva…So tweasuh your wuv.” Take it from the impressive clergyman, folks. Wuv should be tweasuhed.

12. If at first you get stabbed in the stomach, try, try again!

Not only does Inigo take a dagger to the stomach in his quest to kill Count Rugen, but he is also stabbed in both arms. Despite all of that, he doesn’t give up until he as finally vanquished his lifelong foe once and for all. What a great example of perseverance! If Inigo can press on through all of his challenges, then we can press on through ours.

13. Kisses aren’t always gross

When the little boy at the beginning of The Princess Bride first starts listening to the story, he moans, “Is this a kissing book?” By the end of the movie, though, he has gained a new appreciation for Westley and Buttercup’s romance. He even lets his grandfather read him the last sentences of the book: “Since the invention of the kiss, there have only been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind.” That’s the kind of kiss that we all want in our relationships—the kind that is the opposite of gross.

As you can see, The Princess Bride has something to say about just about everything. From the silly to the serious, from masked men to miracles to mutton sandwiches, this film is ripe with lessons begging to be learned.